25% of primary pupils risk injury over bags

One in four primary-school pupils are developing back problems, including spinal injuries, due to the weight of the school bags they must carry throughout term time.

Liam Moloney, a healthcare solicitor, made the claim on the back of a Spanish report which found more than half of the 1,400 children it surveyed carried backpacks which exceeded 10% of their body weight.

Mr Moloney said primary children here “routinely carry bags filled with books, equipment, sports kit and lunches which often weigh more than two stone,” and he said this placed them at risk of back pain and spinal injuries.