Workers in seaside towns earn almost £5,000 a year less than elsewhere in the country, a new study suggests.

More than 30 coastal areas still have economies smaller than before the financial crisis over a decade ago, according to the Social Market Foundation.

Research by the think tank indicated the average salary for workers in seaside resorts was just under £26,000 last year, compared with more than £30,500 elsewhere.

Incomes in coastal communities fell between 2017 and 2018, the foundation said.

Coastal areas are also suffering a decline in health compared with other parts of the UK, the report said.

Scott Corfe, of the SMF, said: "Coastal areas are sadly falling further behind the rest of the country.

"That means people there are poorer and even die younger than people elsewhere in the UK.

"Gaps like that are unfair and should be addressed."

He added: "Many coastal areas are still poorer now than they were before the financial crisis in 2007.

"In the context of the Brexit debate, it's notable that most of those areas voted in favour of leaving the European Union.

"Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he wants to help 'forgotten' parts of the country.

"Coastal areas where incomes and lifespans are falling certainly fit that description."

Coastal communities with smaller economies in 2017 than 2007 included Inverclyde, Weymouth and Portland, Redcar and Cleveland, Great Yarmouth and West Somerset, the report found.