EAST Lancashire MPs today revealed their horror after a 20-year-old advice worker had pleaded guilty to "grooming" a 13-year-old schoolgirl who called a Lancashire County Council helpline.

Hyndburn's Greg Pope questioned why 20-year-old Martin Tibbet was employed by Lancashire County Council as a children's advice worker.

Tibbet admitted three counts of indecent assault at Blackburn Magistrates Court on Friday. The bench heard the child phoned the line for help when her mother was admitted to hospital.

She was described as anxious and vulnerable. Tibbet, of Dove Lane, Darwen, arranged to meet her a number of times when a number of indecent assaults took place.

Mr Pope said: "The county council needs to ask whether it is appropriate for a 20-year-old, presumably with little life experience, to be in such a position, giving out advice to people only a few years younger than him.

"While I accept that criminal checks may have failed to bring up anything to cause concern, I think the county council should review the way it monitors the work of its staff here."

"There should be some way of putting in safeguards to ensure that contact with vulnerable youngsters is monitored."

Burnley MP Peter Pike added: This needs to be a service young people can trust."

They also called for Lancashire County Council to review the way it monitors work carried out by staff employed at the What Now? advice centres in a bid to prevent similar incidents.

Hazel Harding, leader of the county council, said: "There will be a full review into what has happened but it is important to remember that often the only support given to callers is of a practical nature and not personal."

Tibbet will be sentenced at Preston Crown Court after magistrates decided their powers of punishment were insufficient.