Bolton has been named as one of the best for its care of its most vulnerable children in keeping the youngsters close to home.

The borough is in the top five alongside the other Greater Manchester authorities of Salford and Trafford and the North East authorities of North Tyneside and Stockton-on-Tees according to data obtained by charity Become.

The charity asked all councils for data and received 138 responses. They revealed children in care are moved an average of 18 miles from home in most cases but are moved hundreds of miles from home in other cases.

Anything more than 20 miles is considered to be a blow to a child's wellbeing, although there some cases in which it is important to a child's safety.

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Bolton is one the best at keeping children in care close to home with one of the lowest rates of young people sent more than 20 miles in the country.

But the authorities with the highest rates of young people sent more than 20 miles are Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Dorset, Lincolnshire and Somerset.

Cllr Anne Galloway, Bolton Council's cabinet member for children's services, said: "There has been a reduction in number of children in care in Bolton in recent years as we aim for children and young people to remain with their family wherever it is safe to do so. "Our priority for those children and young people in need of care is always to achieve stable, long-term placements to meet their needs."

Cllr Galloway added: "Children are always at the front and centre of any of our plans for their placements and it is good to see Bolton has achieved such a high ranking."

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Katharine Sacks-Jones, chief executive of Become, called on the authorities with a worse record to take action with the support of central government.

Ms Sacks-Jones said: "It's unacceptable children are being moved away, not because it's the right decision for them, but because there are no suitable options closer. It cannot continue.

"There are 82,000 children in care, more than ever before, with numbers continuing to rise. Without urgent action this problem will continue to get worse. We need a national commitment and strategy to keep children close to the people and places that matter to them. All children in care deserve the love and stability they need to heal and thrive."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.