WEAVER Vale MP Mike Amesbury has branded new child poverty figures "a disgrace" and is calling for Government to take urgent action.

The figures released by End Child Poverty – the UK’s child poverty coalition – says data shows poverty is becoming "the new normal" in some parts of Britain.

Researchers from Loughborough University estimated numbers of children locked in poverty in each constituency, ward and local authority area across Britain.

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Figures for Weaver Vale revealed more than a third of children in Halton Lea (38%) were living in poverty, with 39% in Norton North and 26% in the Heath.

Mr Amesbury said: “Benefits cuts, low-paid and insecure work underwritten by the Government’s ideologically-driven austerity agenda have led us down this path.

“This is also been compounded by cuts to children’s services such as education, childcare and social care as well as children’s mental health services.

“This comes only a couple of weeks after the Trussell Trust revealed food bank use was rocketing too.

"That’s two independent organisations painting a picture of rising and often extreme poverty in what is a relatively wealthy nation, all the while the Government continues to deny it all.

“It’s time they acknowledged what’s going on, stop burying their heads in the sand and reverse these destructive policies.”

Weaver Vale child poverty statistics:

Weaver and Cuddington 27%

Daresbury 17%

Beechwood 19%

Winnington and Castle 35%

Helsby 19%

Halton Lea 38%

Hartford and Greenbank 26%

Norton North 38%

Norton South 39%

Frodsham 22%