Social services chiefs in Lancashire are facing an adoption crisis with children as young as three being ignored because potential adopters prefer babies.

In the past year, 44 children have been placed for adoption but there are another 30 or 40 needing homes.

These are in sibling groups and over three years-old.

And yet there are around 40 approved adopters on the county council's list, all waiting to adopt babies.

The Lancashire Evening Post has now launched a campaign to find adopters for these 'forgotten children'.

The county council has to meet tough new Government targets and has already got more children in council-run homes than neighbouring authorities.

In order to meet the new targets, at least 200 new homes for both adotpion and fostering are needed this year to meet the needs of the children already in care.

The authority is also hoping to close some of its "homes" but will need to find homes for the children residing there first.

A county council spokeswoman said: "We need carers who can offer permanent homes and carers who offer short-term care.

"We also need carers who foster weekends only."

(Parts of this article appear courtesy of the Lancashire Evening Post)