Government's own advisers claim: A THIRD of UK children 'are living in poverty'

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Soaring numbers are depressed and in fear of crime, says a report from the four children's commissioners in the UK.

Compared with youngsters in mainland Europe, they drink a lot more alcohol, start having sex earlier and are more likely to use cannabis, it adds.

The findings, to be presented to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva this week, will be a setback for Gordon Brown, who has placed a high priority on closing the gap between children from rich and poor families.

A third of children in the UK are now living in poverty, according to Government offenders

In the report, the commissioners say: 'It is unacceptable that a country as wealthy as the UK has 3.8million children (one in three) living in relative poverty.

'Nearly 1.3million children are living in severe poverty in the UK and there is a relatively high likelihood of severe poverty among children living in London, Wales

and Northern Ireland.' The mental health of children in England has 'deteriorated' over the past 30 years, say the authors.

They place some of the blame on the 'target-driven' education system which leads to 'increased anxiety and stress'.

They insist that a key priority for the Government must be to tackle the 'adverse effects of testing on children'.

The report declares: 'Children feel increasingly pressurised, in particular, by school, exams and commercial marketing.'

It is also critical of high-profile attempts to tackle bullying which largely fail to work.

List of shame: How the UK is failing its children

The joint report is by Sir Al Aynsley-Green, children's commissioner for England, and his counterparts Kathleen Marshall, Scotland, Keith Towler, Wales, and Patricia Lewsley, Northern Ireland.

It does list some positive aspects, acknowledging that the majority of youngsters say they are happy and in good health.

They are increasingly well-educated and most are 'engaged, motivated, and making a positive contribution' to society.