Drugs children offer sex

A former prostitute says under-age girls are selling sex in Leeds to pay for their drug habit.

Charlie Daniels has told BBC Radio Leeds that she has seen children as young as 12 and 13 years old working on the city's streets to pay for heroin.

Ms Daniels says she never used to see girls under the age of 16 working as prostitutes, but has seen two very young girls working in the last month.

She says the use of drugs and prostitution are closely linked.

"They're 12 or 13 (years old) sometimes.

"I've certainly seen two or more girls working in an area that's not normally known as a red light area funnily enough.

"And yes, they were definitely on drugs. They look like they may have been homeless."

Tink Palmer of the children's welfare charity Barnardo's told BBC News Online: "No young person makes an informed choice to become involved in prostitution.

"It happens for many different reasons.