A NORTH West Euro-MP has championed the fight to identify and support the child victims of international internet paedophiles.

Manchester-based MEP, Arlene McCarthy, whose constuency covers the Fylde, met with internet experts and police to discuss the findings of the ground-breaking Victim Identification Project in Brussels.

The EU-funded project, the first of its kind in Europe, was set up to conduct research into the identification of children involved in internet porn images across Europe and the world.

Working alongside police and social services from three different European countries, the research found that only 250 out of a suspected 60,000 children could be positively identified from internet abuse images.

Mrs McCarthy, said: "The problem is that the internet has no borders. Often a case which originates in the north west can involve images of children from across Europe and, indeed, the world.

"Police forces around the UK and Europe simply do not have the time and resources to

ensure that all the children in the images they hold are traced.

"New technologies such as photo messaging and digital cameras are making it easier and easier for child abuse images to be produced and shared.

"And current statistics show that the number of images available is increasing by the day.

"In truth every time someone looks at those images that child is being re-abused.

"It is vital that as many as possible of the children in these images are identified, traced and offered support."

The Labour spokeswoman on Legal Affairs and Internal Markets is now calling for more action from both the European Parliament and internet service providers.

Arlene said: "Action needs to be taken to get these images off the net. But the question is who is going to take responsibility?

"As legislators in the European Parliament we are working to ensure that the right legal mechanisms are in place to protect children on the internet.

"What we need to see now is a European and indeed international policy to tackle the issues involved in identifying children in abusive images.

"We must begin to ask questions of our internet providers.

"What action are they taking to ensure that paedophile chat rooms and websites are

being closed down?

"Are they co-operating with the police in helping to track down these paedophiles?

"And, perhaps most shockingly, are they charging the police for the information they provide?

"The problem cannot be underestimated, it is huge and it is only likely to get worse."