POLICE received a report of a child being sexually abused every seven minutes in the last 12 months shocking new figures have revealed.

The figures obtained by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) show that in Lancashire there were 1,649 child sexual abuse reports to police, an increase of 56 per cent since 2015.

In the North West there was a total of 7,741 sexual offences recorded against children.

Analysis of the overall national data that where age of victim was provided, showed 16,773 offences were recorded against children aged ten and under, with 341 of the offences against babies under the age of one.

In the wake of the figures the NSPCC is calling for the provision of specialised services around the country, with an emphasis on early joined up support from police, local NHS services, children’s services and advocacy for children who have experienced sexual abuse, offered in child-friendly spaces.

Peter Wanless, NSPCC chief executive officer, said: “Record numbers of child sexual offences means we are facing a nationwide crisis in the help available for tens of thousands of children.

“These children are bravely disclosing what happened to them but in too many cases there is not enough timely, joined up and child-friendly support. Instead they are shunted from overstretched service to service.

“We need a radical rethink in the way we help these young people, otherwise they could struggle for the rest of their lives with long term, deep seated trauma.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive member for young people Cllr Maureen Bateson said the borough has led the way in tackling child sexual abuse and grooming via the police’s award-winning Engage Team.

Set up in 2006 the team is made up of representatives from the police, social services, the NHS and the charity Parents Against Child Exploitation with the aim of spotting the early signs of child sexual exploitation and tackling child grooming gangs across East Lancashire.

Cllr Bateson said: “Any child being abused is unacceptable. It is not something we hide from. We encourage any victim or anyone who spots the signs of child sexual abuse to come forward.”

Detective Superintendent Ian Whitehead said: “We are committed to preventing child sexual abuse, helping victims. Sexual abuse is a crime that can affect any child, anytime, anywhere, regardless of their background. There are dedicated teams of people working right across Lancashire from many different organisations to help victims escape the cycle of abuse.”

Anyone with concerns about child sexual exploitation can contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.