A boy of eight who weighs 14 stone could be taken into care in a landmark step in the fight against childhood obesity. Connor McCreaddie, who is more than three times the average weight for a child his age, has broken four beds and five bicycles because he is so heavy.

{mosimage}At one stage he weighed 15 and a half stone. He wears adult clothes because no school uniforms can be found to fit him and has missed weeks of classes because he cannot manage the short walk to school without getting breathless.

Tomorrow a child protection conference will take place, which could lead to moves to take Connor into care unless his diet is improved. It is feared that his weight could cause long-term health problems such as diabetes or heart disease.

Two specialist obesity nurses, a consultant paediatrician, the deputy headmaster of his school, a police officer and two social workers will sit on the panel which will decide his future.

He could be put on the child protection register, along with victims of physical or sexual abuse, or on the less serious children in need register.

Connor’s mother, 35-year-old Nicola McKeown, said: “If Connor gets taken into care that is the worst scenario there could be.

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