An explosion in the number of children wanting to change sex has prompted an inquiry by ministers.

Penny Mordaunt, the Minister for Women and Equalities, wants to understand the reasons behind a 4,400 per cent increase in girls being referred for transitioning treatment in the past decade.

Officials will look into the role of social media and the teaching of transgender issues in schools as part of their inquiries.

There are concerns among some MPs that drug treatment is being offered too readily to children - some of them as young as 10 - without fully understanding what lies behind their desire to change sex.

In 2009/10 a total of 40 girls were referred by doctors for gender treatment. By 2017/18 that number had soared to 1,806. Referrals for boys have risen from 57 to 713 in the same period.

Last year 45 children referred for NHS treatment were aged six or under, with the youngest being just four, though younger children are not given drugs.