A new report into poverty and deprivation in Surrey lists Merstham, Redhill West and Horley West as three of the worst-affected areas in the county.

Merstham is the third worst-affected place in the county to live, just behind Maybury and Sheerwater in Woking and Stanwell North in Spellthorne.

Merstham was also high on a child poverty list, coming eighth, but top of that list with the largest child poverty problem in the county was Redhill West.

Merstham came joint fifth on a list of areas with poverty affecting older people.

Doctor Helen Bowcock, author of the report Hidden Surrey, released next Tuesday, believes although Surrey looks rich, it hides pockets of child poverty, low income, poor mental health and other significant problems, often next to wealthy areas.

But residents of these "poorer" areas came out in defence of their homes when they learned of the report.

Paul Clarke, 26, of Nailsworth Crescent, Merstham, said: "Every area has a posher and a poorer end of town. If Merstham was in Lambeth, it would be the posh bit where the councillors live.

"I'd much prefer to live in Merstham to the centre of Reigate. At least we know our neighbours, and can knock on their door to borrow teabags.

"We may not all have a lot of money, but we have a lot more fun and people are friendlier."

Another Merstham resident, Elizabeth North, 22, of Wood Street, agreed she didn't see the picture of poverty painted in the report in her daily life.

She said she had not had any problems since she moved from Reigate and felt perfectly safe, and had not seen any huge amount of poverty in the area.

But Doctor Bowcock told the Mirror: "Surrey's appearance of wealth is deceptive. Places such as Merstham and Redhill West feature right at the top of the list when it comes to child poverty, older person poverty and deprivation.

"Redhill in particular has one area with the highest child poverty in the whole county and this has increased markedly there over the last three or four years."

Dr Bowcock believes these "little tight pockets of extreme poverty" are completely concealed by Surrey's comparative wealth, with average male incomes in Surrey one third higher than the national average.

The Hidden Surrey report was commissioned by Surrey Community Foundation, a charitable trust set up to raise the level of giving for those in need in Surrey, which awards grants to community and voluntary groups in the county.

For more information about the foundation visit www.surreycommunity foundation.org.uk