Dorset remains one of the best places in the country to live a long life.

Life expectancy at birth figures from the Office of National Statistics suggest the county's districts have dropped somewhat in the comparison tables, but nevertheless remain high.

Back in 2000-2002, East Dorset was placed second in England and Wales, Purbeck fourth, North Dorset fifth and Christchurch ninth for life expectancy for males at birth, with all the stats at 79 years of age or more.

The positions are out of 346 local authority areas.

The latest figures, for 2012-14, show East Dorset now in third place with a life expectancy of 82.8, and Christchurch seventh with 82.5. The other two districts have dropped somewhat but are still more than 81, well above the national average of 79.4.

For women, Christchurch was fourth and North Dorset seventh in 2000-2002. East Dorset was 14th, however the district has held a podium position for most of the past few years before dropping to seventh for 2012-14 with a life expectancy of 86.

The latest figures show girls born in Christchurch can expect to live to 85.6, and in North Dorset and Purbeck to 85 years or more.

Poole's life expectancy at birth for males has risen from 78 in 2000-2002 to 80.6, and from 81.9 to 84.1 for women. The latest figures place it 108th for males and 104th for females.

Bournemouth has the worst life expectancy in the county for women, and second worst for men, after Weymouth and Portland.

A boy born in 2000-2002 could expect to live to 75.9, a figure which has only risen to 78.9, placing the borough at 236th in the country.

For women, life expectancy has risen from 81 to 83.1 - the England and Wales average - in those times, placing Bournemouth 205th.

The national figures show a marked disparity between the North and the South, with the great majority of the top ten areas in the South West, South East and London, and the majority of the lowest ranked areas in the North West, North East and Wales.

According to the data boys will live longest in Kensington and Chelsea at 83.3 and least in Blackpool at 74.7. Girls will live longest in Chiltern at 86.7 and least in Middlesbrough at 79.8.