More than 60,000 people in Norfolk have now been diagnosed with diabetes, according to new figures, with a charity warning that number will continue to increase.

New analysis released by Diabetes UK shows that the number of people diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes has gone up by nearly 3,000 since last year - up from 57,769 to 60,716,

The statistics show that West Norfolk has the highest prevalence of diabetes in the East of England, with 8.38pc of people living with a diagnosis.

Norwich has the lowest incidence with 5.22pc of the population affected. The national average is currently 6.6pc and the East of England is just below that at 6.3pc.

With so many at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, Diabetes UK is calling on the government to take further action to tackle childhood obesity, by introducing stricter restrictions both on junk food advertising to children, and supermarket price promotions for unhealthy foods.

The charity also stressed the need for people at high risk of Type 2 diabetes to be identified and referred to the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, which supports people to make changes that could prevent the onset of the condition.

Peter Shorrick, interim head in the East of England at Diabetes UK, said: 'Unless we act, and urgently, diabetes prevalence will continue to rise.

'Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are serious conditions that can lead to devastating complications such as amputation, blindness, kidney disease, stroke and heart disease if people don't receive the right care.

'Type 1 diabetes isn't currently preventable, but three in five cases of Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed. We need to end the marketing of unhealthy food to children and make sure the food all of us eat is healthier.

'More people who are at high risk of Type 2 diabetes must be identified so that they can get the education, care and support they need to reduce their risk.

'We have to take action now so that we can live in a world where fewer people have diabetes in the future.'

In the UK there are now almost 3.7m people diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, an increase of almost 100,000 since last year – from 3,590,501 to 3,689,509.