Britain 'turns blind eye' to sex trafficking

Thousands of children from eastern Europe are sold as sex slaves in the West, while Britain, it is alleged, is turning a blind eye.

More than 6,000 children aged between 12 and 16 are smuggled in to work as prostitutes, drug traffickers and beggars every year, claims children's charity Terre des Hommes at an international conference in Rome.

Barbara Limanowska, author of a Unicef report, says that while some European countries have made considerable strides in tackling the problem, Britain has been slow to take action.

She said: "They have only woken up to the problem recently."