Missing child hotline

AN Oldham Euro MP has won backing to implement a special missing children’s helpline across the EU member states.

Only four member states have adopted the 116000 hotline number for missing children since it was established last year.

MEP Arlene McCarthy has won support from the EU parliament to have the number enshrined in law, so that citizens of all 27 EU member states can access it.

Ms McCarthy says that the statistics point to a clear need for the new law, with 846 recorded child abductions in 2003/3 in the UK and the estimated number of missing children cases in the UK standing at 70,000 annually.

Ms McCarthy added: “The first 24 hours are crucial to safely recovering missing children.

“Ensuring that we have a common helpline number across Europe will help speed up the vital response by national authorities wherever a child goes missing as well as in neighbouring countries.”