THE United Nations is demanding the government take urgent action to cut the number of youths behind bars in Britain.

The call comes after it was revealed 27 children had died in police custody since 1990 - including Burnley teenager Adam Rickwood, who was the youngest person to die in custody.

And tonight Jap Doek, chairman of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, will slam the number of youths locked up each year in British jails which costs £283 million.

Speaking at a conference organised by a group of children's organisations Mr Doek will address the audience that the human rights of children are being violated.

He will say: "My committee recommended in 2002 that detention should only be a last resort. Yet the UK still locks up more children than most other industrialised countries."

Adam, 14, of Harold Street, became the youngest person in the country to die while in custody after he was found hanging in his room at the Hassockfield secure training centre, in County Durham in August.

He had been sent to the privately run unit by the courts after allegedly breaching bail accused of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. There were no suspicious circumstances.