Ö÷²¥´óÐã

On Friday 18 March Ö÷²¥´óÐã children's presenter Helen Skelton will present Safe And Sound, a ground-breaking documentary examining the sexual exploitation of children by criminal gangs in Britain, as part of Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 5 Live's Comic Relief coverage.

The powerful documentary looks at the work of Safe and Sound Derby, a charity supported by Comic Relief. The charity aims to raise awareness of trafficking and the threat of internet grooming, and gives support and advice to young people who are at risk of such exploitation.

Helen speaks to a number of victims and their families including Emma, who explains how she was trafficked by UK gangs at the age of 12. She describes in shocking detail the harrowing ordeal that she went through and the ongoing effects on both herself and her family.

Commenting on her experience of meeting the victims and finding out about the scale and level of exploitation threatening young girls in this country, Helen said: "I was overwhelmed by the way the families and girls are coming to terms with the things they have been through.

"I was genuinely stunned by the stories I heard, but amazed at how open and frank the girls were when talking about what had happened to them and that is credit to their strength of character and support given to them by Safe and Sound."

Safe And Sound is produced by Pearl Works Productions and is one of several new programmes created by independent radio producers from across the Ö÷²¥´óÐã North region as part of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã North Creative Kicker Fund for Radio 5 Live.

Jonathan Wall, Radio 5 Live's Deputy Controller, commented: "Pearl Works Productions has created an incredibly insightful programme examining a very difficult topic that many parents won't have heard much about.

"I am delighted that through the Ö÷²¥´óÐã North Creative Kicker Fund 5 Live was able to support Pearl Works to create some outstanding content."

Safe And Sound will be broadcast on Radio 5 Live on Friday 18 March from 9.30pm as part of the Tony Livesey programme, which will come live from Television Centre in London to capture all the behind-the-scenes action from Comic Relief.

You can listen to Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra via DAB radio, online at , Digital Freeview, Sky, Freesat, Virgin Media and 909 and 693 AM.

NC