More than 500 children under the age of five were admitted to the Royal Free Hospital with breathing problems last year.

Campaign group Mums for Lungs says Freedom of Information data it has uncovered shows that more needs to be done to protect children from air pollution in London.

The group's founder Jemima Hartshorn has called on all diesel vehicles to be phased out by 2030 at the latest.

Figures obtained by Mums for Lungs from 22 London hospital suggest that more than 15,000 children were admitted with serious breathing problems in 2023.

Parents have now taken to the streets of areas affected by high air pollution to hang up baby grows that spell out ‘Clean Air Now’.

Ruth Fitzharris, from Mums for Lungs and a parent who lives in Haringey, said: “My son has been hospitalised for his asthma symptoms many times and I know how distressing and frightening the experience is - no child or parent should have to go through it.

"Air pollution levels in Haringey are far too high, and the government could do so much more to bring them down. We urgently need action so that we can all breathe more easily”. 

Data shows that 523 children under the age of five were taken to Royal Free Hospital with breathing problems last year.

Just over a thousand children were also taken to nearby Whittington Hospital. 

Mums for Lungs said that particulate matter can result in serious impacts to health, especially in vulnerable groups of people such as the young and elderly. 

Short-term exposure to concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) - a gas mainly caused by burning fossil fuels - can cause inflammation of the airways and increase the chance of respiratory infections.

NO2 can also exacerbate the symptoms of those already suffering from lung or heart conditions.

Dr Anna Moore, a respiratory doctor who works in a London NHS Hospital, added: “All the evidence shows that there is a clear connection between high levels of air pollution and respiratory conditions.

“These figures also demonstrate that there are hundreds of children who are in hospital with conditions that could be prevented.

“At a time when NHS resources are stretched thin, we need to urgently clean up our air, including completely phasing out the most heavily polluting diesel cars, trucks and vans and focus on infrastructure which enables safe walking and cycling as this is vital for long term health.”