Working parents with two children at school will spend up to £2,400 on childcare and entertainment during the summer break, according to a study out today.

Even before the added cost of a family holiday, parents across Britain will collectively spend about £1.78bn on their offspring during the six-week period.

Those who work will spend up to £1,200 on care arrangements for two children and a further £1,200 keeping them occupied, according to the study by Abbey bank.

More than a third of working parents will spend up to £100 a week per child on care.

On top of this, some 85 per cent will fork out up to another £100 to keep their children amused every week.

Fathers are more likely to turn to a credit card to relieve the financial burden, with 40 per cent of men saying they would do this compared with 27 per cent of women.