ALMOST one in three of all North-East children live in poverty, according to figures released today.

Barnardo's, the UK's largest children's charity, is launching a campaign to highlight the levels of child poverty throughout the country.

The charity has published a report, called Poverty Wrecks Futures, which shows the outcomes for children born into impoverished families.

The "silver spoon" campaign aims to show that these babies are more likely to be addicted to alcohol or drugs, become the victims and perpetrators of crime and be homeless.

Research carried out by the NOP Group found 40 per cent of people questioned in the region think there are no children living in poverty in the North-East. The actual figure is 31 per cent.

The survey also showed that 45 per cent of people in the North-East were unaware that one-third of children live in poverty in the UK - and 74 per cent were shocked when the true figure was revealed.

The charity's research shows that about 3.8 million children in the UK live in families surviving on less than the poverty line of £242 a week.

Barnardo's principal policy officer, Neera Sharma, said: "Poverty is the single biggest threat to a child's future.

"Children from deprived backgrounds are more likely to grow up to be socially excluded, homeless, to have problems with drugs or alcohol and to commit or be victims of crime."