DEMAND for debt advice has almost doubled as Scottish public services are slashed and one in four children languish in poverty, a charity has said.

Children 1^st has launched an appeal for donations after witnessing a staggering 92 per cent increase in demand for financial advice as the “cost-of-greed” crisis continues to trap families in a cycle of debt and poverty.

The charity says more than 1,500 children have needed their assistance over the last year, almost double the previous year’s figure.