NEARLY 3,000 children across the region will wake up homeless this Christmas, new figures have revealed.

A shocking 2,167 children in Yorkshire-Humber, which includes North Yorkshire, and 831 children in the North-East will spend the festive period without a home, says charity Shelter.

Nationally, the number of homeless households has doubled to 100,810 since 1997.

Since 2000, house prices have jumped 116 per cent in the North and 90 per cent in Yorkshire-Humber, to an average price of more than £123,000.

Now Shelter is calling on people to register their protest over the plight of homeless children, as part of its Million Children Campaign, which asks the Government to end bad housing for the next generation of children.

Shelter director Adam Sampson said: "This Dickensian picture of suffering for homeless children is in stark contrast to the cosy festivities that most of us can look forward to this Christmas.

* Register your protest at www.shelter.org.uk/signup