OVER 1,500 children were taken to North West hospitals during a 12-month period after being assaulted, new figures have revealed.

The statistics, highlighted by a Liberal Democrat Freedom of Information request, show that North West Strategic Health Authority saw 1,667 people under the age of 18 receive treatment after being attacked during 2007/08.

Of these 389 received injuries from being hit, kicked or punched, 80 had been stabbed and over 40 had gunshot wounds.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “It is appalling evidence of the violent society our children live in that nationally nearly 50,000 of them have been admitted to hospital because of assaults in the last six years.

“Ministers love to tell us that crime is falling, but these figures clearly show that the number of serious assaults is on the up.”