The MP for Harrow East has called for parents to receive more help with ensuring their babies sleep safer in a bid to reduce the number of cot deaths.

Bob Blackman has teamed up with charity The Lullaby Trust as part of their campaign to pass on “life-saving” advice about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

The charity conducted research which showed that babies who sleep on their back every night are six times less likely to die from SIDS than those who sleep on their front or side.

Mr Blackman is urging health professionals and family workers to provide advice to new parents on how to ensure their baby sleeps safely.

Francine Bates, the chief executive of The Lullaby Trust, is aiming to half the number of babies who die from SIDS to below 150.

He said: “The results of the research suggest that although we’ve come a long way in reducing SIDS rates, more needs to be done to ensure that all parents and carers in Greater London know the basics of safer sleep.

“The Lullaby Trust provides training for around 3,500 health care professionals each year and calls on local authorities to ensure that safer sleep messages consistently reach all families, helping to prevent avoidable deaths now and in the future.”