THE number of children at risk of being sexually exploited has doubled over the past two years in Bolton, according to new figures.

In 2004, the number of children aged up to 18-years-old at risk was 13. Currently the numbers stand at 26.

But children services bosses say that the reason for the increase is due to new strategies and a partnership approach with other agencies now in place to identify "at risk" children.

And Lynne Jones, assistant director of children and families services at Bolton Council has urged parents to be more vigilant.

She said: "The increase in the number of recorded incidents of sexual exploitation is largely a result of better training, which makes staff who work with young people more able to recognise the signs or identify those in danger. This number fluctuates on a monthly basis."

She added: "All agencies in Bolton, including the council, are working together to manage the risks and keep up to date on the means by which children can be exploited.

"The council and its partners are dedicated to helping young people avoid situations which put them at risk of sexual exploitation."

The majority of children who fall victim to "risky adults" are aged between 15 and 18-years-old and involve children from all backgrounds.

Reasons for falling prey to sexual exploitation can include anything from suffering a bereavement to substance misuse to suffering abuse as a child.

Predatory adults use a variety of techniques to win the friendship of children including buying them gifts such as mobile phones.

Mrs Jones said: "After a couple of months that adult could take the phone away and replace it with another one. That adult now has access to the telephone numbers of that child's friends."

And with the growth in the popularity of the internet more children are at risk through chat rooms.

"There is a variety of factors which identifies if a child is at risk which could include playing truant from school, running away from home. Those alone do not indicate that they are being sexually exploited, they are pieces of a jigsaw we build up. But as soon as they are on the streets they are vulnerable.

"We want to look for early indications and sometimes our investigations reveal that there is not a problem.

"We work closely with agencies like Connexions and the youth offending team and can build up a picture and find out whether a young person is being exploited," explained Mrs Jones.

Teams specially trained to deal with vulnerable young people are on hand to work around the clock with them.

Mrs Jones said: "Society has a role to play to stop children from being exploited. That ranges from parents being more aware through being more computer literate to talking to their children and for newspapers to stop advertising personal services."