A HAVEN for pensioners has the oldest average population in the country.

Eastbourne residents have an average age of 71 according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

The area around Eastbourne, taking in Hailsham and Seaford, is the NHS district with the largest proportion of the population aged 75 and over, at 13.4%.

The data found that seven of the top ten districts in England and Wales with the oldest populations are along the south coast, stretching from Eastbourne to Poole in Dorset.

Councillor Colin Belsey, chairman of East Sussex County Council, said older people made a valuable contribution to the life of the Eastbourne and the local economy.

By contrast, an area in Bury, Greater Manchester, had an average of just 17.