SHOCKING new figures show that the number of obese and overweight ten and eleven-year-old children in Blackburn with Darwen is on the rise.

More than one third of year 6 children are either obese or overweight in the borough, according to data from the National Child Measurement Programme.

Some 36.8 per cent of children were obese or overweight this year, compared to 34.6 per cent in 2017-18.

The number of obese children has also risen from 21.6 per cent to 22.7 per cent, while those who are severely obese has increased from 4.5 per cent to 5.1 per cent.

Dominic Harrison, director of public health for Blackburn with Darwen Council, described the figures as ‘very concerning’.

As well as blaming high levels of deprivation in the borough, Mr Harrison said that children spending more time indoors and unhealthy food consumption was ‘creating the perfect storm’.

He said: “The rise in childhood obesity we’ve seen in the borough is in line with rises across the country.

“The outgoing chief medical officer has outlined that stopping the promotion, advertising and discounting of food that creates empty calorie consumption is one thing to do.

“This is creating a culture and environment where heavy children can easily access poor quality foods high in sugar, fat and salt.

“More and more children are spending time indoors and being inactive also, which combined with unhealthy eating is creating the perfect storm.

"There is also a two-fold difference in that schoolchildren from the poorest ten per cent of places are twice as likely to be obese as those in the wealthiest ten per cent."

Mr Harrison said the council were working with the NHS to look at reducing levels of childhood obesity.

He said the authority was in the middle of developing and implementing plans which has seen Pennine Lancashire awarded funding from the government's Childhood Obesity Trailblazer Programme.

Cllr Brian Taylor, health and wellbeing assistant executive at the council, said the figures were 'disappointing', but that 'action' would be taken.

He said: "A number of initiatives are being worked on to reverse this trend, including the Trailblazer Programme.

"These things take time but we recognise there's a problem and will take action to tackle it."