SHOCKING new figures show the number of young children with decaying teeth in the area is among the highest in the region.

A total of 41.7 per cent of five-year-olds in Barrow were found to have 'obvious' tooth decay last year, data published yesterday has revealed.

It is the highest of all six districts in Cumbria and among the worst in the North West.

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The percentage of children across the country found to have decaying teeth was just 24.7 per cent - the lowest for over a decade.

Barrow Borough Council's public health lead, Cllr Brendan Sweeney, said consuming too many sugary drinks were one of the biggest causes of tooth decay in children.

He described the results as 'absolutely awful'.

"It is an awful situation that we have some children who end up having to go to hospital to have teeth removed under general anaesthetic.

"There are a number of causes - but sugary drinks such as squash and fizzy pop do cause tooth decay, there's no doubt.

"But poverty is another indicator unfortunately," Cllr Sweeney added.

"We do have families who rely on the foodbank - if they are struggling to buy food for their family, they are not going to be able to go out and buy toothpaste.

"It's a very sad situation."

Youngsters in other parts of south Cumbria fared better in the nationwide survey of five-year-olds, conducted for government body Public Health England.

Just 21.6 per cent of the age group were found to have rotting teeth in South Lakeland while the figure rose to 34.8 per cent for Copeland.

Children aged five and at state schools were included in the survey which covers the 2014-15 year.

Of the 5,154 children aged five in Cumbria at the time, 1,785 were examined for the annual study.

Around a third of children were found to be suffering from tooth decay in the North West while the figure dropped to around a fifth in the south east.

Dr Sandra White, director of dental health for Public Health England, said: "Limiting sugary food and drink, supporting children to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and regular trips to the dentist, will help prevent a great many more children suffering at the hands of tooth decay."