One in five child deaths in an east London borough are occurring because the baby's parents are related, a report has found.

A meeting of Redbridge Council's health and wellbeing board heard 19 per cent of the 200-plus infant deaths between 2008 and 2016 were 'attributable to consanguineous relationships' – couples who are at least second cousins or more closely related.

The causes of death have been identified as 'genetic and congenital abnormalities', the board was told.

Redbridge Council heard a report has found 19 per cent of child deaths between 2008 and 2016 were directly due to parents being related (file picture)

Council health bosses were also told nine per cent of the children who died were from Pakistani families in the borough.

According to the Ilford Recorder, Gladys Xavier, chairwoman of the Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP), told the board 'educational programmes' had been rolled out among Asian communities in the area, while schools had been asked to 'put greater emphasis on genetics' so pupils understand the complications around interfamily marriages.

The paper reported Cllr Joyce Ryan told the meeting some of the communities were 'finding it difficult to accept' the educational programmes.

Other councillors said it was a 'sensitive area' and was being handled as such, with the council 'moving in the right direction'.

Redbridge Council, pictured, heard 'educational programmes' had been rolled out in the community and schools to warn people of the dangers of children from interfamily marriages

Meanwhile, the Recorder said the council's director of public health, Vicky Hobart, defended the statistics and said the report should not be 'misunderstood'.

According to the paper, she said: 'Consanguinity is very common in many cultures and the worry with something like this is that we are dealing with very small numbers.

'It is important to note trends but we should not read too much into it.'