There are four times as many children who need to be adopted than there are families who want to adopt, it has been revealed.

Bradford Council currently has 84 children waiting for a permanent stable home, but only 20 approved adopters waiting for a child.

The figures come a day after the authority appealed for more potential adopters to come forward.

Bradford Council’s Adoption Service hopes to recruit a new swathe of adoptive families, but is worried that people may be ruling themselves out unnecessarily because of misconceptions about who can adopt.

The service has said it will not rule out any potential adoptive parent based on factors such as age, marital status or sexual orientation.

To find out more about adopting with the Council, phone (01274) 434331, e-mail adoptionfostering@brad ford.gov.uk or visit brad ford.gov.uk/adoption.