Children in Liverpool could miss out seeing the Coca-Cola Christmas truck this year after calls to ban it from entering the city due to problems with obesity, reports the Metro.

Liverpool’s Liberal Democrat leader Richard Kemp wants to ban the lorry, and said the city is ‘in the grip of an obesity epidemic’.

The Liverpool Echo reported that Kemp branded the soft drink as ‘grossly unhealthy’ and urged shopping centre Liverpool One to cancel the ‘cynical event’. However, a Coca-Cola spokesman said the Christmas truck also promotes sugar-free drinks.

In a letter to managers of the Liverpool One shopping district, he wrote: ‘You are probably aware that Liverpool is in the grip of an obesity epidemic for children and adults. 30 per cent of our 11-year-olds are obese.

‘The biggest single cause of this is the consumption of fizzy drinks. That is why I am appalled that there is a rumour going round that you will welcome the Coca-Cola van to Liverpool.

‘This cynical event has taken place for the past five years and is not designed to welcome Christmas but to increase the consumption of a product that is grossly unhealthy.’

Coca-Cola Great Britain defended its Christmas lorry and said it receives a ‘positive response from many people in Liverpool.’

He added: ‘People will have the opportunity to see the lorry up close, have their photograph taken and enjoy a choice of a small, 150ml can of Coca-Cola Classic or one of our no sugar options, Diet Coke or Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.’

Head of marketing for Liverpool One Donna Howitt, added: ‘The Coca Cola truck has not been confirmed to visit Liverpool ONE this year so we are not in a position to comment.’