There has been seven per cent drop in the number of children hospitalised after self-harming in London in the past two years, according to children’s charity NSPCC.

In the year 2013/2014, 749 were admitted to hospital while in 2015/2016, 696 were admitted.

However, nearly 19,000 children were hospitalised for self-harming last year in England and Wales which shows a rise of 14 per cent over the past three years.

Chief Executive of the NSPCC Peter Wanless has said it is “vital” that the figures are confronted and that is a “real wake-up call” for the NHS.

Self-harming is one of the most common reasons that children contact the charity’s Childline service and about 50 children a day are given counselling for it.

Mr Wanless said: “A frightening number of children and teenagers are being driven to self-harm as a way of dealing with unresolved feelings, tensions and distress in their lives.

 “It is vital we confront the fact that an increasing number are struggling to deal with the pressures and demands of modern-day life, to such an extent they are inflicting terrible damage upon themselves.

 “A key step in this process is ensuring every child and teenager who contacts Childline receives the advice and support they may desperately need, which is why it is so important that people get behind our ‘Call for Help’ campaign.”

Childline President Dame Esther Rantzen said: “Self-harming is at epidemic level among young people, at Childline we hear from them every day. 

 “So they need to remember that Childline is here for them and that it really makes a difference to talk to our counsellors who care about you and want to support you.”