A record number of children were rescued from paedophiles prowling the internet last year.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) said it safeguarded 278 youngsters over the past 12 months.

The number was double those helped in the previous period by the unit and the most in one year since it was established in 2006.

Of the children, 47 were identified and found as a result of analysis of images and videos posted online by paedophiles.

Meanwhile 417 suspected child sex offenders were arrested for offences from possessing indecent images to rape.

Jim Gamble, who leads Ceop, said the unit also disrupted the activities of 96 networks sharing images of child abuse.