A CHILDREN'S charity has been praised for its work improving the health of young people in the region.

Margaret Fay, chairwoman of One NorthEast, told the annual meeting of The Children's Foundation that its work was vital and tied in with the regional development agency's commitment to improving the economy of the region.

She said: "I feel the business world and the work of One NorthEast has a clear link to the aims and objectives of the Children's Foundation.

"The real causes of child illness are poverty, the state of our environment and bad diet.

"Certainly the first two issues are ones that my organisation has a duty to combat.

"By encouraging businesses to grow, attracting investment into the region and creating jobs, we aim to tackle unemployment and thereby improve the wealth of the region and all those who live here."

The conference, held in Newcastle, also heard from Dr Stephen Singleton, a trustee of the charity, on child health priorities in the region.

Dr Singleton, medical director of the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority, spoke of his concern at the increasing statistics of childhood cancer, and focused on opportunities for new treatments.