A TOP East Lancashire doctor believes he has discovered the latest benefit of a new type of "wonder drug."

Dr David Grimes, a consultant at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, says his research suggests statins can act as substitute for crucial vitamin D.

Statins have been hailed as "wonder drugs" since coming on the market during the last 10 years.

They are prescribed for people with high cholesterol to cut the risk of heart attacks, but researchers say they can also benefit people with conditions including diabetes and dementia.

Now Dr Grimes says he believes the drugs can also have the same positive health benefits as vitamin D, which is usually produced in the body by exposure to sunlight.

Vitamin D is essential for the growth of healthy bones and is also produced by oily fish and cod liver oil tablets.

Dr Grimes said his findings may convince more people to take the drug when this year's blazing summer ends.

Following his latest findings published in the medical journal The Lancet Dr Grimes said he had received correspondence from all over the world.

He said: "I have had the biggest ever response from research I have had published. I have had a huge number of emails from all over the world saying what an interesting idea it is."

Statins have become the world's biggest selling class of drugs.

But Dr Grimes, a consultant physician and gastro-enterologist and a former medical director for Blackburn hospitals, has caused controversy for suggesting a link between low vitamin D levels and heart disease.

Dr Grimes said: "If people are worried about taking statins over a long period of time then if they knew that they are just like vitamin D then that can be reassuring that the tablets aren't poisoning them, but acting like a vitamin."

He went on: "There is something going on with these drugs other than the reduction of cholesterol. The benefits of statins are identical to the benefits of vitamin D.

"It is very important because a lack of vitamin D is an extremely serious issue."

He said it was clear to him that there was a link between a lack of sunlight and reduced vitamin D levels and heart disease.

He said: "The closer you get to the equator the less heart attacks you get and these become virtually unknown in the tropics. When people from England go to live in Spain they become much healthier."

He said poor vitamin D levels were closely linked to the high levels of deprivation in East Lancashire.

Dr Grimes said: "Poorer people don't have a garden so they have to sit in the house, and they cannot afford to go on holiday."