A survey of 2,000 people conducted for Northern Gas Networks (NGN) by Prospectus Global/Savanta this July found that 87 per cent of people in the North East 'like their neighbours' - and 70 per cent have 'helped out a neighbour in need.'

The findings come as NGN launches its Neighbourhood Pipeline campaign, which aims to encourage people to look out for people in the community who may need extra support.

Eileen Brown, director of customer experience at NGN, explained: "We’re asking individuals and people who run community-based groups and organisations to sign up to our Neighbourhood Pipeline and pass on information about gas and carbon monoxide safety, energy efficiency, and additional support services available to our hard-to-reach, priority customers."

Those customers include people over 65, families with young children, those with disabilities, those who don't speak English as a first language, rurally isolated people, and people in financial hardship.

More information, as well as a toolkit to download, can be found at https://www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/neighbourhoodpipeline/

A printed copy of the toolkit is also available to order.

Individuals who sign up will receive a free coffee, while participating organisations will be entered into a draw to win one of five 'warm and learn' lunches for up to 50 of their service users.