Anthony CarrollMore than 5,000 people in the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area will be invited to take part in a life saving 'human MOT' check next year.Anthony Carroll

More than 5,000 people in the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area will be invited to take part in a "human MOT" check next year.

Between January and March, everyone aged 40 to 74 will be invited into their GP's practice to for an assessment of their risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.

The free 20-30-minute check, likened to a human MOT by the NHS, is part of a national programme involving questions and measurements includ-ing height, weight, medication, age, family history and blood pressure.

Checks then will be carried out every five years.

Each MOT will have an action plan, including practical advice on ways to effectively improve health and wellbeing.

Dr Augustine Pereira, public health consultant at NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney, said: "Everyone is at risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes or kidney disease, but the good news is that these can often be prevented - even if you have a history of them in your family.

"These checks will recognise those areas that may be a risk and give you personalised advice on how to reduce it - so they could be a life-saver over the coming years."

Everyone who visits their GP for the health check in the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area will also be issued with a health guide on free programmes, offered such as weight-management programmes, exercise regimes and stop smoking advice.