LIFE expectancy of men born in Torfaen is expected to drop, according to new data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Boys born in the area between 2014 and 2016 are expected to live for 78 years, down from 78.2 years in the previous two year period.

Meanwhile, researchers predict that baby girls born in the borough after 2014 will live for 82.4 years on average, increasing from 82 in 2013 and 2015.

The general national trend is that people have been living longer since the turn of the century.

Girls born between 2001 and 2003 in Torfaen are predicted to live for 80 years, while the rate for boys is 75.4 years.

However, improvement in life expectancy is generally beginning to plateau.

Women are still expected to live 4.4 years longer than men in Torfaen - but the gap is narrowing, down from 4.6 years in 2001 and 2003.

“This analysis supports the view that mortality improvements in the UK have slowed somewhat in the second decade of the 21st century”, said Chris White, the principal research officer at the ONS.

Researchers look at the ages people die and the projected death rates in each area to calculate the general life expectancy.

In recent decades, women have generally lived longer than men due to a range of lifestyle factors.

In its neighbouring boroughs, boys born in Torfaen between 2014 and 2016 are expected to have a longer life expectancy than those born in Caerphilly - 77.9 years.

However, borough boys have a shorter life expectancy compared to those born in Monmouthshire - 80.8 years - and Newport - 78.2 years.

Girls born in Torfaen on the other hand have a longer life expectancy in comparison to those born in Caerphilly - 81.3 years - and Newport - 81.9 years.

But those born in Monmouthshire between 2014 and 2016 have a longer life expectancy than baby girls in Torfaen, with researchers suggesting 83.9 years.

Figures from the ONS were not provided for babies born in Blaenau Gwent between 2014 and 2016.