Three quarters of people living in the North-East are at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, experts have warned.

Survey results released last night revealed that 77 per cent of people in the region have no carbon monoxide (CO) alarm in their homes.

More than eight in ten admitted knowing little or nothing about it and 80 per cent said they would be unlikely to associate CO poisoning symptoms with a leak.

Dubbed the silent killer because of its odourless, colourless nature, CO kills dozens of people in the UK each year and affects thousands more.

The research was carried out by Kidde Safety, which produces carbon monoxide alarms for the home.

Company marketing director Kevin Bishop said: "Despite numerous safety campaigns, most people in the North-East have yet to go out and purchase an alarm.

"However, the North-East is the best in the country when it comes to understanding how deadly CO can be.

"Over 90 per cent know CO can be found at potentially fatal levels in the home, compared to only 86 per cent nationwide. We can only hope this knowledge prompts people to further educate themselves and take preventative actions."

The Northern Echo launched its Silent Killer campaign to raise awareness and cut the number of causalities, following the death of Anne Brennan, of Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside.

The Durham University student died aged 19, in 1995, after collapsing from CO fumes at a house she rented in the city.

Last month, a survey by the National Union of Students revealed many continued to put their lives at risk.

More than half said they had not been shown their landlord's Gas Safety Certificate, a legal requirement that proves boilers and fires have been checked in the past 12 months.

The Kidde Home Safety Report also showed 17 per cent of people in the North-East did not know any of the possible symptoms of CO poisoning and 19 per cent never got their boilers checked for leaks.