More than 90,000 children in England, Scotland and Wales are without a permanent home, says Shelter.

The charity's chief executive Campbell Robb said the "heart-breaking" figures suggest the equivalent of three children in every school are homeless. Ministers said they had increased spending to prevent homelessness.

Shelter analysed data published by the three administrations.

The charity's calculations suggest that in the second quarter of 2014, ending in June, there were 90,569 children living in temporary accommodation in England, Scotland and Wales.

The equivalent figure for 2011 was 76,650, suggesting a rise of 13,919 children without permanent homes in three years. The figures indicate that while the numbers in temporary accommodation fell in Scotland and Wales, they rose in England.

The researchers were particularly disturbed to find that in June 2014 some 2,130 families in England were living in bed and breakfast hotels, almost double the figure for the same period in 2011 when the figure was 1,210.

Families in this position told the charity that they often felt unsafe, with children exposed to drug and alcohol abuse, fighting, swearing and racist language.

Some said they had to live in one room, share kitchen and bathroom facilities with strangers, and eat meals on the bed or on the floor.

The accommodation was sometimes in poor condition and some parents had to share beds with their children. Others reported depression, panic attacks and their children bed wetting.

Others said their predicament had damaged their children's ability to make and keep friends and affected schoolwork.(KH)