ALMOST one in six Bromsgrove children are in poverty, national Government data has revealed.

The statistics, collected in December 2015, show that 15 per cent of the district's youngsters are currently classed as poor - the lowest rate in Worcestershire and half the national average.

The Advertiser obtained a breakdown for each of the county's parliamentary constituencies, revealing 2,896 children aged under 16 in Bromsgrove are classed as poor, and around 20,000 across Worcestershire.

But Worcestershire County Council has insisted that supporting children and families to escape poverty is one of its 'top priorities'.

A council spokesman said: "We are committed to doing everything we can to tackle the many problems poverty can cause in local communities. Supporting the most vulnerable members of society is at the heart of everything we do and we work in a targeted way through a number of initiatives in areas of highest need across the county."

This includes creating business conditions to optimise economic success, liaising with schools to provide quality education, working with children to build resilience and supporting parents in disadvantaged communities.

Despite Bromsgrove fairing well compared to its neighbouring districts, Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid has said there is still more work to be done.

He said: "Eradicating child poverty and improving children’s life chances is an absolute priority for me. Although the rate in Bromsgrove is relatively low, there is much more to do."

The data comes after Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) hit out over the rising tide of low paid workers, saying it is plunging too many families into problems. This has risen nationally by 100,000 to four million, which the CPAG has called a "burning injustice".

Relative poverty is based on a household earning 'below 60 per cent' of the national median income of £26,300 after taxes and benefits.