AN MP who admits to being useless in the kitchen is demanding all pupils get compulsory cooking lessons in school to tackle the rise in child obesity.

Nigel Evans, Tory MP for the Ribble Valley, believes youngsters will be less likely to live off a diet of burgers and takeaways if they can find their way round an oven, microwave or cookbook.

His concerns, which he raised in Parliament, are now being considered by fellow ministers as they look to tackle the growing issue of diet-related health problems.

Up to four in 10 children in the North West are now said to be obese.

Obesity among 16 to 39-year-olds in East Lancashire has doubled in the last decade, with four of its boroughs named among the country's 'fattest' in the country.

Illness triggered by obesity cost the NHS in East Lancashire £24million a year -- and Mr Evans believes the solution is to teach children how to cook.

Food technology -- as cooking lessons are now known -- is optional on the school curriculum but Mr Evans said: "The Government has talked about introducing a pilot on cooking in schools.

"I think all children should be given the skills in school to be confident enough to cook for themselves.

"Without it, the temptation will always be there to eat so-called junk food. I cannot cook for the life of me and never did cooking at school.

"It would be useful if skills were available to all children, irrespective of academic ability, so they knew how to cook healthy meals.

"There needs to be a standard so all children benefit."

Education bosses today said healthy eating in schools was high on their agenda.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has recently put the spotlight on school meals with his hit Channel 4 series Jamie's School Dinners.

And both Lancashire County Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council said they were striving to serve healthier dinners at meal times.