ALMOST a quarter of year six pupils in Crewe are obese, according to new statistics.

Figures released by Public Health England for 2013-14 to 2015-16 show that more primary school children in the town are obese or overweight than in other east Cheshire towns.

The figures show that 23.35 per cent of Crewe children in year six are obese, while 35.58 per cent are overweight.

Meanwhile, 8.7 per cent of reception pupils in the town are obese, and 21.18 per cent are overweight.

The most alarming figure comes from the Crewe Central electoral ward, where 26.3 per cent of year six pupils are obese, while 38.9 per cent are overweight.

Cllr Irene Faseyi, Cheshire East Council member for Crewe Central, has stressed the importance of physical activity in schools, and wants schools in the area will have the tools they need to help children maintain an active lifestyle.

She told the Guardian: “We want to see more funding being made available to schools which can be used for sports facilities and after school activities. But for now that isn’t the case.”

Crewe East has the highest percentage of obese reception pupils in east Cheshire at 11.5 per cent, while Macclesfield South has the highest percentage of overweight reception children in the borough at 24.6 per cent.

Primary school children in Nantwich appear to be healthier in the statistics, with 14.8 per cent of year six pupils and 7.6 per cent of reception pupils being obese.