WOULD-BE parents in Huddersfield may need to start saving!

The average cost of bringing up a child is now greater than buying a house, according to a new survey conducted among mothers.

Parents typically spend £164,000 on a son or daughter from birth to leaving university, compared with the £151,467 average cost of buying a UK home.

The figure is based on an on-line survey of 3,000 mothers carried out last month.

It was produced by researchers from Woolworths, who said it was a conservative estimate.

It does not take into account holidays, private tuition, private school fees, health insurance or mobile phones.

But it does include an estimate for the cost of child care, and the rise of "pester power" - including the cost of gadgets, games consoles, TVs and DVD players.

More than one in five of those surveyed admitted that if they had realised how much bringing up children actually cost, it would have put them off wanting one in the first place.

But the majority - 78% - said that once the baby arrived, money was not so much of a worry.

Nappies were the most expensive single item, according to 39% of those surveyed.

But almost half said the cost of a childminder was the greatest expense they faced in bringing up a family.

A full-time nanny can cost parents £300 or £400 a week in London but considerably less elsewhere, research found.

Even summer holidays are an expensive prospect, with parents expecting to pay more than £300 on average to keep their child safe and amused during the six to eight-week break.

The survey also charts teenagers' increased hankering after designer goods and items. Nearly four out of 10 mothers found teenagers aged between 16 and 19 were the most demanding and costly as the pressure of being "cool" took its toll.

Jo Ledsham, of Woolworths, said: "Children are now dependent on the family for longer and they're living at home for longer.

"The financial burden is large and increases if children go to university or further education.

"Kids are staying at home until their mid-20s and their contributions to the family aren't what you'd expect.

"And finally, even when they do leave home, they're still likely to ask for financial help if they marry."