Evening Telegraph editor Kevin Young said: “In launching this campaign our prime aim is to protect the victims, young girls are being exploited by dangerous predators and this practice has to end.”

Local police are backing the campaign but stressed such sexual grooming was not a race issue and that men of all ethnic origins were involved grooming girls. They also warn that most of the grooming took place on the Internet.

Muslim community leaders and Blackburn MP Jack Straw, who is Leader of the House of Commons, are also backing the Telegraph campaign.

The Muslim leader praised both the Evening Telegraph and the police for their “brave decision to tackle the issue” and offered their communities full support.

Jack Straw MP said: “I am very happy to back the campaign and will certainly talk to the Home Secretary John Reid to see whether there is any funding available.”

Local MP Greg Pope is also backing the campaign and has vowed to “table parliamentary questions about what the government is doing to tackle the problem of sexual exploitation of children”.

He also said: “These are the most appalling crimes committed against vulnerable young children. I commend the Lancashire Evening Telegraph for taking this stance and using its role to campaign for greater awareness and better facilities for the victims.”

Lancashire Constabulary’s assistant chief constable (operations), Mike Cunningham said: “This is an excellent campaign and Lancashire Constabulary would support any work that is undertaken to protect these vulnerable children.

“We are committed to continuing our work to tackle this head on with the support of partner agencies, to try and end this cycle of abuse.”