A new study has found that air pollution at east London schools is among the worst in the country.

City Hall analysis found that London boroughs accounted for 28 of the 30 English local authorities with the highest levels of particulate matter pollution at schools (PM2.5).

Newham was the borough with the highest school levels of PM2.5, Barking and Dagenham ranked seventh, while Redbridge was 11th.

The study, based on national government data for annual average PM2.5 in 2019, revealed that 98 per cent of London schools are in areas exceeding World Health Organisation (WHO) limits, compared to 24 pc outside the capital.

The analysis also found that on average, PM2.5 concentrations were a third (33 per cent) higher at schools in London than in the rest of England.

A study by King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London and the University of Edinburgh found that increased levels of air pollution significantly affected children’s health.

The research found that children growing up in polluted parts of the capital lost approximately five per cent in lung capacity - equivalent to two large eggs - compared to their peers in the rest of England.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m doing everything in my power to stop young Londoners breathing air so filthy that it damages their lungs.

“This is why I’m expanding the Ultra-Low Emission Zone later this year.

“I want to make sure all of London meets the World Health Organization limits for particulate matter."

The London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be expanded up to the North and South Circular roads in October.

Nyeleti Brauer-Maxaeia, co-founder of Choked Up, said exposing children to high levels of air pollution "can have devastating consequences on their health for years" and felt action like the ULEZ expansion was needed "to prevent this air quality crisis from marking more young lives."