BURY North MP James Frith has called for a legal loophole which leaves teenagers vulnerable to being targeted for sex by adults to be closed.

A legal review is now being undertaken by the Justice Secretary over concerns raised by MPs and a leading children's charity.

Under current legislation only people such as teachers, social workers and youth justice workers are defined as being in a position of trust.

This means it is illegal for them to have sex with 16 and 17-year-olds they supervise.

However other people who work with teenagers, such as sports coaches, faith leaders, driving instructors and cadet leaders, are currently legally able to have sex with the young people they are responsible for.

Child protection charity, the NSPCC, says this loophole is leaving teenagers vulnerable to grooming.

According to the latest figures obtained by the NSPCC, between 2014 and 2018, 1,025 crimes of abuse of a position of trust of a sexual nature were recorded in England and Wales.

Local authority figures showed a further 653 complaints were made about adults not currently covered by the legislation over the same period.

However the charity has warned that these figures may only represent a fraction of the problem, as it is legal for adults to have sex with children in their care meaning many cases will go unreported.

The NSPCC has now launched its Close the Loophole campaign, calling for laws to be extended to all adults responsible for young people, to stop children being preyed upon when they turn 16.

Mr Frith has since joined around 30 other MPs in backing the NSPCC's campaign.

Andrew Fellowes, NSPCC public affairs manager, said: “Most parents will probably be shocked that the adults they trust to supervise their teenagers can legally have sex with these children.

“It makes no sense that children are protected from predatory adults in some settings but not others. It’s good to see that James Frith MP is as worried as we are and is demanding a change that will protect children."

The NSPCC's and MP's campaign has now led to the loophole being reviewed by the Justice Secretary, David Gauke.

This review marks another u-turn in Government policy, after original promises to close the loophole in 2017 were backtracked on last year.

Mr Fellowes said: "Although most adults who supervise young people will have their best interests at heart, there is a small minority who will exploit their role and target a child, knowing full well they can get away with it.

"This is not right and we’re calling on government to Close The Loophole.

"All children must be protected whether they’re in the classroom, on a football pitch, or at a cadet meeting.”