MP Nigel Huddleston has challenged the Prime Minister to give grandparents the right to see grandchildren by law.

He urged Theresa May to back calls for a change in the law to grant grandparents access rights at Prime Minister's Questions.

Mr Huddleston, Mid Worcestershire MP, said some grandparents suffer "living bereavement" if access to their children's offspring is removed because of divorce or family breakdown.

The Prime Minister said Mr Huddleston was "absolutely right" that grandparents play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren, and said the Ministry of Justice and Department for Education would "consider" his points.

But she said the law "already allows family courts to order that a child should spend time with their grandparents".

During Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Huddleston said: "Divorce and family breakdown takes an emotional toll on all those involved, but the family dynamic often overlooked is that between grandparents and their grandchildren.

"If access to their grandchildren is removed or blocked, some grandparents call this a form of living bereavement.

"Will the Prime Minister therefore join me, Dame Esther Rantzen and thousands of grandparents across the country in calling for a change in the law to give grandparents access rights to their grandchildren as is the case in France."

Mrs May replied: "(Mr Huddleston) is absolutely right that of course grandparents do play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren.

"We can all I'm sure sympathise with those who experience the anguish when they are prevented from seeing their grandchildren if a parental relationship ends.

"Of course when making decisions about a child's future the first consideration must be the child's welfare, but the law already allows family courts to order that a child should spend time with their grandparents.

"I understand that Mr Huddleston has recently seen the Minister of State for Justice and I'm sure that the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education will consider the points carefully."