SWINDON has the lowest stroke rate in the south west – recording fewer stroke deaths than neighbouring Poole, Bath and Bournemouth.

Almost 3,500 in Swindon a registered with their GPs as having had a stroke. According to official figures, in 2016 just 88 people died from the condition.

But health chiefs have warned against complacency, saying that too many people miss the warning signs of strokes.

Public health organisations and stroke charities have today launched a new campaign – urging people to call 999 if they notice the signs of stroke in themselves or others.

Debbie Stark, deputy centre director for Public Health England South West, said: “We know that sadly, far too many people dismiss their early warning signs of stroke and delay calling 999. Stroke is a medical emergency and getting the right treatment fast can save lives.”

For each minute that a stroke is left untreated, around 1.9 million nerve cells in the brain can be lost. While the number of stroke deaths has almost halved in the last 15 years, the longer a stroke is left untreated the greater the chance someone is left with lasting effects – like slurred speech or paralysis.

Those keen to stay aware of the early signs of stroke should remember the acronym F.A.S.T., doctors say.

It stands for:

:: Face – Has the person’s face fallen on one side? Can they smile?

:: Arms – Can they raise both their arms and keep them there?

:: Speech – Is their speech slurred?

:: Time – Time to call 999.

According to Public Health England, there has been a rise in the proportion of strokes occurring in adults aged 40-69. The average age for men suffering a strong fell from 71 to 68 in the last decade. For women, it was 75 to 73.

In the south west, there are more than 122,500 people on GP registers who have had a stroke. Devon topped the mortality tables, with 710 stroke deaths recorded in 2016.

Last year, mum Jo Wallace, 40, from the town centre, told the Adver about suffering a stroke - just 10 days after giving birth to baby Megan.

She said: "I was told on the stroke ward that there had been two significant bleeds on the back of my brain.

"It was only a few days before I came home that it dawned on me that I had had a stroke - and more than a fortnight before I could remember my date of birth."

Dr Tony Rudd, NHS England’s national clinical director for stroke, said: "Thanks to improved NHS care, stroke survival is now at record high levels. Urgent treatment for strokes is essential, so friends and family can play a key part in making sure their loved ones receive care as quickly as possible.

“Every minute counts and knowing when to call 999 - if you see any one of the signs of stroke - will make a significant difference to someone’s recovery and rehabilitation.”

Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, added: “Almost two thirds of stroke survivors leave hospital with a disability, but it doesn’t have to be this way. The faster you seek and receive emergency specialist treatment for stroke, the better your chances of making a good recovery.”