GUANGZHOU: The local government has pledged to check more children living near an industrial park in Qingyuan, Guangdong province, after 25 children were confirmed to have lead poisoning.

Fifty-four children have been rechecked, with five within the healthy range, 24 having high blood-lead levels, 21 mildly poisoned by lead and four seriously poisoned, vice-mayor Wang Dekun said late on Monday.

One of the children, the most seriously poisoned, showed a blood-lead level more than six times the permissible limit.