HOTEL staff and taxi drivers are being trained to spot child groomers as efforts to tackle the issue in Bolton gather pace.

Police are going into some of the town's biggest hotels and delivering training packages to staff, ranging from receptionists to cleaners.

Meanwhile Bolton Council has said taxi drivers can be its "eyes and ears" in rooting out grooming in the town.

Up to 600 drivers have been educated since the child sexual exploitation (CSE) elements were added to the training given to new drivers.

Among the hotels to have received the training are the Bolton Whites Hotel at the Macron Stadium, the Travelodge in River Street and some bed and breakfasts in The Haulgh area.

Hotel staff are being urged when taking bookings, cleaning rooms or delivering room service to be mindful of CSE warning signs.

In particular they are being urged to look for older men booking rooms with girls and boys under the age of 18

Often these bookings will be 'walk-ups' and the perpetrators will pay cash and might well have no luggage with them.

Det Insp Charlotte Cadden, head of the Organised Crime and Child Sexual Exploitation Unit in Bolton, said: "If you thought there was something wrong with a booking what would you do?

"The key sign we are stressing for staff to look out for is a big age difference, with people under 18 accompanied by those well over 18.

"It is about everybody being aware of the warning signs.

"We will engage with anyone who makes a complaint and help safeguard these young people."

Leanne Turner, training and development manager at Bolton Whites Hotel said: "Key indicators suggest that criminal activity can be spotted at the point of checking in, therefore it was important for us to ensure everyone in this department had an enhanced knowledge and awareness of how to spot the signs.

“The hotel prides itself on being a safe place for guests, visitors and staff and by receiving training from Greater Manchester Police, the hotel can continue to be confident in its approach and also contribute in ensuring that the Bolton community is safer too.

“A number of our staff will continue to work alongside the police on its ‘train a trainer’ scheme so we can roll out the training package internally and further educate all departments.”

CSE has been part of the compulsory training for new hackney carriage and private hire drivers since February 2014.

Two training sessions are run every month, with between 16 and 20 attendees per session.

That equates to between 480 and 600 drivers to have benefited already from the CSE training.

Taxi drivers in particular are being told to be wary when groups of older men are picking up younger girls from houses.

A council spokesman said: “The training will help drivers to be our eyes and ears.

"As ambassadors for our community they have a duty to report anything they witness that concerns them.

"Together we can learn to recognise who the victims of child sexual exploitation are and report it.”

Parents who are concerned about who their underage children are associating with should report their concerns to police, who can issue suspects with child abduction orders.

The notices are a warning to suspects and if parents report them for a second time, police can arrest them.

Each borough of Greater Manchester has its own team set up to tackle child sexual exploitation, with the Phoenix Exit Team for Bolton based in Breightmet House in Bury Road.

If you need support or advice on sexual exploitation, phone the Exit Team on 01204 337195.

To report people you suspect of grooming, ring police on 101.