Deaths from heart disease among under-75s are on the rise for the first time in 50 years, figures reveal.

Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity are all playing a role in driving up deaths among younger people, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said.

A new report from the charity said the historic pace of progress in reducing deaths "has slowed to a near standstill", with heart and circulatory disease deaths in people under 75 now on the rise.

Millions of people are also living with undiagnosed conditions including high blood pressure and diabetes that increases their risk of a fatal heart attack or stroke.

"These factors, combined with a growing population, mean that increasing numbers of people are now dying from heart and circulatory diseases before their 75th or even 65th birthdays for the first time in more than 50 years," the report said.

In 2017, 42,384 people died from heart and circulatory diseases in the UK before the age of 75, a rise of just over three per cent on the 41,042 in 2014.

Among under-65s, there were 18,668 deaths in 2017, up almost 4 per cent on the 17,982 five years earlier.

In the five-year period beforehand, there had been a 19 per cent decline among under-65s.