Councils have lost sensitive data more than a thousand times in the last three years, according to a campaign group.

A study by Big Brother Watch found 132 local authorities suffered 1,035 data breaches between July 2008 and July 2011.

The data included details relating to children and people in care, the group said.

At least 244 laptops, 98 memory sticks and 93 mobile devices went missing.

But only 55 of the 1,035 incidents were reported to the Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham.

A spokesman for the Information Commissioner's Office said: "It's vital that local authorities properly live up to their legal responsibility to keep personal data secure, particularly where it is sensitive information about children and young people.

"We're calling for powers to conduct compulsory audits in the local government sector and will this week submit a formal business case to the Ministry of Justice asking the government to give us such powers."ADNFCR-3406-ID-801219822-ADNFCR