Almost 2,500 children have been admitted to hospital with malnutrition in the first six months of the year - twice the number over the same period last year, new figures show.

The figures have sparked fresh concern that hardship brought about by the coronavirus pandemic means that families are increasingly unable to feed themselves.

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Freedom of information responses from almost 50 trusts in England, representing 150 hospitals, found that more than 11,500 children have been admitted to hospital with malnutrition since 2015.

Almost 1,000 of these under-16s with malnutrition cases were admitted as inpatients to Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust alone.

This was followed by University Hospital Southampton NHS trust with 704, and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, which both had 656.

Furthermore, fewer than two-thirds of all trusts responded, suggesting the real total figure is much higher.

Liberal Democrat leadership campaigner Layla Moran MP, who collated the responses, told The Observer newspaper: “These figures shocked me and make me angry that in Britain, in 2020, people can be hospitalised due to malnutrition. We need to move forward and create a system of social security that helps everyone and makes sure no one goes hungry in our country.

The findings come during a major debate over the importance of families are able to provide for their children during the coronavirus pandemic.

Last month - in a major U-turn - England and Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford forced the government to extend its free school vouchers scheme over the summer holidays when it was set to end.

Despite this victory, it has been argued a wider debate is needed about a much-needed overhaul of the free school meals system for the long-term.