COUNCIL bosses have come under fire for running a scheme where children do time behind bars at a prison housing dangerous sex offenders.

MPs, police officers and leading national charities said it was "wholly inappropriate" for children as young as eight to be allowed to spend an evening at Wymott Prison, Leyland, which holds a high percentage of the UK's convicted paedophiles.

In 2004 the prison housed 688 vulnerable prisoners - sex offenders and others segregated for their own safety - including Toby Studabaker, the US marine who was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in 2004 for abducting a 12-year-old girl.

The Insight project, for eight to 17-year-olds, is part of a joint initiative by South Ribble Council, police and Wymott prison.

It aims to raise awareness about the causes, consequences, and penalties of crime.

The scheme has been running for four months and already 20 children have spent an evening at the training centre at Wymott, where they go through the booking in process, spend time in a cell and eat a prison meal.

But critics want another prison to be used where there are fewer sex offenders. They ask: "Why take the risk?"

Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle said: "This is absolutely ridiculous.

"No matter what precautions are taken, the fact that they are going into the grounds of Wymott Prison where paedophiles are held in large numbers is outrageous.

"If this is a worthwhile project we must use one of Lancashire's other prisons which are more fit for the purpose."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "It is a responsible question to ask - why Wymott when there are other prisons in the county that do not house sex offenders?

"I am sure everyone would feel reassured if the scheme was moved elsewhere."

One police detective, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "What horrified me is that Wymott has a high number of paedophiles and sex offenders.

"And even if the children are kept away from these prisoners, they could still see them going into the training centre.

"Some prisoners might get excited knowing children were being brought to the prison.

"No matter how safe it is there is always a risk and I think it is inappropriate to have children anywhere near - let alone in - Wymott. Why take the risk?"

But PC Kay Stephenson - a police involvement officer who runs Insight with specialist officers at Wymott and Suzanne Simpson, the council's anti social behaviour officer - defended the scheme's location.

She said: "The young people do not go into the prison and have no contact with offenders.

"They are only in a training facility outside the main building.

"If they were going inside the main prison building then we would have to think about the suitability of Wymott.

"It is having the right affect and the message is getting across.

"One 15-year-old boy who we took to Wymott was on the verge of getting an ASBO. Since the visit he has not re-offended once."

Tink Palmer, director of the Stop It Now, a national campaign against child sex abuse, said: "Why choose a prison when they know that there are long-term inmates there with a history of abuse?

"I am really concerned about children at such a young age going through this ordeal."