We’ve seen it in our accents, our culinary choices and our weather. But now apparently how long we live is affected by living in the North.

Research has found a “tale of two Englands”, with data showing that Northerners are 20% more likely to die early – that is, under the age of 75 – than our Southern counterparts.

The study, led by the University of Manchester and based on Office of National Statistics data, found there were 14,333 more premature deaths in the North than the South in 2015.

The same findings showed 1.2 million more people up North died early between 1965 and 2015.

It must be our hearty diet of pies, chips and anything deep fried!

Lead researcher Professor Iain Buchan said the findings indicated a North South divide and a need for greater health spending in the region.

He said: “Five decades of death records tell a tale of two Englands, North and South, divided by resources and life expectancy – a profound inequality resistant to the public health interventions of successive governments.”

A Government spokeswoman said: “The causes of health inequalities are highly complex but we are taking action by addressing the root social causes, promoting healthier lifestyles and improving the consistency of NHS services.”