HARROWING details of child exploitation were described to MPs at a House of Commons inquiry into grooming spearheaded by Oxford West and Abingdon MP Nicola Blackwood.

Ms Blackwood, below, said she was shocked by the allegations uncovered in the ongoing Operation Bullfinch in Oxford into a suspected child exploitation ring, and was prompted to call for the inquiry.

She added: “In light of this and other sickening crimes against vulnerable children such as those revealed recently in Rochdale, I am pressing as hard as possible, both in Westminster and at a local level, for the spotlight to be firmly directed onto this problem.

“It is essential that the Government and other agencies work together to ensure that lessons are learned and such tragic situations are prevented from reocurring.

“As a member of the home affairs select committee, I requested an inquiry into grooming and I am very pleased that it formally launched yesterday.”

Deputy Children’s Commissioner Sue Berelowitz said her in-depth study of the problem suggested the scale of sexual abuse against children was greater than first thought.

Ms Berelowitz said: “What I am uncovering is that sexual exploitation of children is happening all over the country.

“As one police officer who was the lead in a very big investigation in a very lovely, leafy, rural part of the country said to me ‘there isn’t a town, village or hamlet in which children are not being sexually exploited’.”