A FAMILY are taking part in a national research programme to help people with heart disease.

Three generations of the Barraclough family, of Kirkheaton, will be filling in three questionnaires over the next 12 months.

Dad David, 54, daughter Ruth, 29, and her son Matthew, six, are all having their details featured in the questionnaire, which has been designed by the makers of Flora margarine.

It asks about eating habits, exercise regime and lifestyle. It aims to develop a picture of how people's habits are affecting the health of their hearts.

Mum Linda, 54, has been in charge of filling out the forms, although she herself is not taking part.

It was Linda who saw Flora's appeal for families to take part.

She entered them because there is a history of heart problems in David's family.

He has been in hospital twice with problems relating to heart disease and takes eight pills a day to manage his condition.

Linda said: "We felt this was an important contribution we could make as a family to understand what effect our lifestyle is having on our children.

"We also see it as an opportunity to have a long, hard look at the facts of what habits we have that might need to be reviewed."

She said the whole family - including 30-year-old son Andrew - were quite health-conscious.

She added: "We try to be healthy and buy lower-fat foods - but we also eat pies and sweets. Flora wanted average families to apply - and we definitely are."

Dr Anne Haase works at Bristol University's Department of Exercise and Health Sciences.

She said the studies completed by families like the Barracloughs would be a big help to researchers.

She added: "We have been surprised and delighted by the success of this campaign to recruit families.

"The families are helping us take a significant step.

"We are confident we will gain invaluable insights into behavioural patterns. We can use this to effect change, with the aim of improving the nation's heart health."