TWO hundred children in the region are homeless and living in temporary accommodation - a rise of a third in the last five years, figures have shown.

The figures, from homeless charity Shelter, also showed that four children lose their home every day in the North-East.

Last year, 940 children became homeless in the region.

However, the North-East does have the lowest homelessness rates in the country.

The charity's Generation Homeless report also shines a light on the 5,683 families with children in Britain who are currently living in emergency B&Bs and hostels – often considered the worst type of accommodation.

Families are often squashed into one room with little space to cook, play or eat their meals.

They are often forced to share bathrooms with strangers and the accommodation is often located miles away from schools, jobs and loved ones.

It has an impact on children's friendships and family relationships because they have a lack of privacy and space, they struggle to cook and eat together as a family, sleep is poor and there are difficulties getting to and from school.

Young people's mental health is also affected by the uncertainty and the early taking on of adult roles and responsibilities.

The charity is calling on every political party to put housing at the top of its domestic agenda and is asking the public to support its urgent Christmas appeal.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “The fact four children in the North-East become homeless every day is a scandalous figure, and sharp reminder that political promises about tackling homelessness must be turned into real action.

“Day in, day out we see the devastating impact the housing emergency is having on children across the region. While they’re being uprooted from friends and moved into insecure temporary accommodation, their parents are left with the agony of not knowing when their children will have a stable place to call home again.

“Every child has the right to a safe home and if we act now, our frontline advisers can support more homeless families in the North East to get to a better place.

"Every donation will help Shelter to be there for everyone who need us this Christmas.”