Unfortunately, we’ve got very used to poverty and health indicators which underline the deep social problems in East Lancashire.

But the latest statistics, unearthed by the Lancashire Telegraph, are shocking on a grand scale.

They point to a borough which has severe malnutrition problems in the primary school population.

As Dominic Harrison, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s director of public health says himself, food poverty is ‘unfair, unjust and avoidable’.

Almost as disturbing is the fact that one in five 10 and 11-year-olds are obese in Burnley.

Mr Harrison has pledged an investigation and, in Burnley, they have said they want to get children more active.

What we really need is a massive response from our boroughs: starting with an enquiry, a big and effective strategy backed by an equally impressive economic response to bankroll a series of sweeping measures is required.

A key part of the strategy has to be education. Clearly, hundreds of parents are not giving their children the right message about diet and nutrition.

Thousands more are struggling to make ends meet and it could be that we need to look at the Blackpool model where free breakfasts are given to every child.

It’s a costly option but what price a child’s development?