'Heartbroken' Leeds Mum Warns Of Internet Dangers
A Leeds mum, whose 8-year-old daughter received sexual messages from a stranger on the internet, is backing calls for parents to better-educate their kids online.
It's as research out today reveals too many parents are postponing conversations about internet safety - even though 91 percent of 8-year-olds use the internet every week.
"I was just watching what she was doing one day and this message came through and some of it was starred out. I sort of understood what it meant and luckily she didn't and it was like oh my god, it's a stranger, how have they even found her?'" says Sarah Reynolds.
"It made me sick to the stomach that my daughter couldn't even talk to her friends in the school holidays, who don't live local, without some horrible person ruining it for her. She were really upset as well because she didn't fully understand."
But she says with more kids using the internet, it's difficult to know what your child is up to all of the time.
"You've only got to turn your back for a minute and any message could come through and that's what scares me the most - that unless they're sat next to you, glued to your side, you don't always know what they're up to. It's scary to know that I could just be in the kitchen making a brew and she could have spoke to him.
"To say it could happen in my own house when I thought I monitored my kids well. I obviously didn't monitor her well enough like I thought I was. It's put more measures in place now.
"They've only got to pose as a child and the child, when they're young, don't know who they're speaking to, they just think it's another little friend. It's way too easy."
If you have concerns about who your child is speaking to, visit the police website by clicking here.