More vulnerable children went missing in Kent than most other parts of the country, according to a report.

Almost 600 vulnerable children disappeared from the UK last year, with more than 200 still missing, based on a survey carried out by charity ECPAT UK and Missing People.

In Kent, of the 985 young asylum seeker children in its care, 190 went missing between September 2014 and September 2015 - representing about one in five.

Of these, 53 asylum children were still regarded as missing - about one in four.

Along with Thurrock, Hillingdon and Croydon, the county had the largest numbers going missing.

Chloe Setter, from ECPAT UK, which campaigns against child trafficking, said it was a national disgrace the issue of vulnerable children going missing had "remained neglected".

The report had "unearthed an alarming trend of our most vulnerable children disappearing", she added.

Those fears were echoed by KCC councillor Jenny Whittle, who chairs a cross-party committee on children’s services.

She said Kent’s situation was unique, as it was dealing with its own children in care, young asylum seekers and children from other areas being placed in the county.

“The strain on public services is enormous in Kent. There is an issue around trafficking that needs to be sorted at source and through an international effort. It is a very difficult situation.”

A Kent County Council spokesman said: “Any child going missing from care is cause for concern. Trafficked and unaccompanied children are particularly vulnerable to going missing for a number of reasons.”

“For example, the fear and control of traffickers, they may be determined to continue their journey to a planned destination and the majority are male and aged over 15 so may seek more independence.”

The council made the risk of a child going missing a key part of any care plan with the aim of preventing them doing so.

“However, these young people are not kept under lock and key and when an unaccompanied or trafficked child does go missing, we work closely with police and other agencies to find them quickly. When they return, skilled social workers work with them to prevent it happening again.”

The charities called on the UK government and local authorities to reform the child protection system.

The Department for Education said it had commissioned "specialist training" for those caring for the children to help minimise the risks of disappearing.