Cumbria health chief is calling on TV soaps to help spread the message about the danger of flu.

The county’s director of public health, Professor John Ashton, who is also chair of the UK Public Health Association, wants the likes of Coronation Street, Emmerdale, EastEnders and Hollyoaks to run a plot about the potentially fatal virus.

Flu is still one of the biggest killers in the UK during winter and Prof Ashton believes a story-line involving flu could show the serious and sometimes deadly consequences it can have.

He said: “Soap operas can play a vital role in educating people on public health messages, whether it’s breaking down preconceptions about HIV or Aids, eating disorders or mental illness.

“They provide a perfect platform to both normalise health problems and inform people of the choices available to them, to protect themselves often in a sensitive and well-researched manner.

“I am now hoping that by raising the issues around the dangers of the flu virus and how some people missed the opportunity to protect themselves, some of the scriptwriters may consider including flu in future plotlines.”

Flu can in some circumstances be deadly to older and vulnerable people with pre-existing medical conditions.

On average two to three thousand people a year die of the virus mostly in the winter but it can be 8,000 some years.

Prof Ashton suggested a storyline where a character refuses the vaccine and becomes acutely ill.

Producers for the main soaps refused to comment on future storylines.