OVER 5,000 children are living in poverty across South Ayrshire according to a shock report.

The latest figures by End Child Poverty Coalition show that 5,167 (23%) of children are living in poverty.

The highest number of children affected is Ayr North where more than one in three (37%) of children in the ward come from families who struggle to make ends meet.

Second to that is Ayr East (21%) followed by Troon (18%). Prestwick has the lowest percentage of children living in poverty with (15%).

The numbers have been branded a scandal by a local MSP who called on the UK and Scottish government to “wake up”

South Scotland Labour MSP Colin Smyth said: “It is nothing short of a scandal that over 5,000 children in our region are growing up in poverty, with that figure on the rise. The End Child Poverty Coalition has highlighted that policy decisions over welfare, schools, health services and the cuts to the public sector are pushing families across Ayrshire into poverty.”

“Both the UK and Scottish Governments need to wake up and take meaningful action to tackle poverty and reverse the rise in child poverty in Ayrshire.”

The coalition to abolish child poverty have blamed low income coupled with cuts in benefits and higher housing costs.

Laura Brennan - Whitefield, Councillor for Ayr North, told the Ayr Advertiser: “It is a heart-breaking reality that so many of our young people are living in poverty; South Ayrshire Council is committed to closing the poverty related attainment gap. We have expanded breakfast clubs and access to free school meals.

“We will continue to work to improve the lives of people in our most vulnerable communities.”