Six young brothers and sisters face being taken from their parents and put into care because they are overweight.

Social workers have warned they will intervene if three of the youngsters – including a 12-year-old boy who weighs 16 stone – do not shed several pounds in three months.

The parents have been told they risk losing all their children if there is no improvement in the 12-year-old or two of his sisters aged 11 and three – who weigh 12 stone and four stone – by June.

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The family have also been ordered to send their children to dance and football lessons to help them lose weight.

The shocking development highlights Britain's childhood obesity crisis, which has already forced those as young as 13 to seek NHS weight-loss surgery.

Only America has more overweight children than the UK, leading health experts to warn that our current generation of youngsters may not outlive their parents.

But critics last night described the intervention of social workers as "deeply worrying" and questioned their powers to break up families.

Dr Colin Waine, of the National Obesity Forum, said: "This has to be a last resort.

"We must understand the health dangers associated with obesity, but the approach I favour is regular monitoring of children's weight from birth to avoid drastic action like this."

Nadine Dorries, the Tory MP for Mid- Bedfordshire and a former nurse, described the measure as "draconian".

"A far more sensible and costeffective solution would be for the localauthority to provide round-the-clock support within the home, aimed at both assisting the children in attaining a healthier lifestyle and educating the parents," she said.

The family, who The Mail on Sunday are not naming to protect the children, say their slimming deadline was set at a meeting with child protection officers last Thursday in which they were warned all six children would be taken away.

If the children are put into foster homes it opens up the possibility they could be adopted, which would leave them unable to make contact with their birth parents until they were adults.

Last night the children's 39-year-old mother, who weighs 23 stone, said: "This is every family's worst nightmare.

"I just can't stop crying at the thought I could lose my beautiful children for ever."

The 12-year-old has developed "anger issues" and has been bullied at school.

His 11-year-old sister has now stopped eating proper meals because of her anxiety over the threat and her parents fear she is developing an eating disorder such as anorexia.

Social workers have also raised concerns about the couple's 21-monthold, who weighs 26lb, labelling him "overweight".

The other two children – a ten-yearold boy and seven-year-old girl – are also heavy, although the parents insist this is "puppy fat".

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