AVON and Somerset Police have executed a series of warrants across the force area as part of an ongoing operation to target online child abuse.

Raids were carried out last week at addresses in Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

Searches of the properties then led to a significant amount of digital equipment being seized.

The activity comes after officers received intelligence that devices at the addresses may have been used to download or share indecent images of children or in connection with grooming offences.

The equipment will now be examined by the constabulary's digital forensic unit to determine what offences may have been committed.

Detective Inspector Steve Cartlidge, of the Internet Child Abuse Team, said: “Our aim is to protect children and our message to anyone involved in online child abuse is that we are actively looking for you and we will come after you.

“Officers from our Internet Child Abuse Team, Operational Support department, Digital Investigations Team and Digital Forensic Unit last week intensified our activity to find those involved in such criminality.

“We will have to wait for the seized equipment to be forensically examined first before any action is taken against any individual but I am confident the action we took last week has made our communities safer.

“We’ve also worked closely with our local authority partners to assess whether there are any safeguarding concerns in relation to the addresses searched.”

If you have concerns about online grooming or abuse, report to police via 101, to CEOP via its website here or to Crimestoppers.

If you think a child is at immediate risk of harm call 999.

DI Cartlidge added: “We are committed to tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse in all its forms but it can take us some time to develop the intelligence we receive and people shouldn’t assume that because they don’t see immediate results, that it isn’t being acted upon.”

*More information and guidance is also available from the Lucy Faithful Foundation which provides a resource and confidential advice for survivors of child abuse, family members and also those who think they may be at risk of offending.

Visit the Lucy Faithfull website here or the Stop It Now site here or call the Freephone confidential Stop it Now! helpline on 0808-1000900.