Ministers are failing in their duty to protect primary school children from school meals high in fat, salt and sugar, nutrition campaigners are claiming.

Amid rising fears over levels of childhood obesity in the UK, research warned of the dangers of eating typical school dinners like cheese fritters, roast potatoes and flapjacks.

The Soil Association said Education Secretary Charles Clarke must act now to improve the quality of school meals.

The research commissioned by the Soil Association analysed five meals typically served in primary schools.

It found that children eating meals like cheese fritters, roast potatoes, peas and flapjacks for five days would consume 40 per cent more salt, 28 per cent more fat and 20 per cent more sugar than is recommended.