Eight police forces have raided homes in England and Northern Ireland as part of an operation to stop child pornography on the internet.

Eighteen addresses were raided at 0700 BST on Tuesday - 11 of which were in London and the Home Counties.

Eleven men have been arrested in connection with distributing indecent images of children.

A 15-year-old boy is also being interviewed by police.

Technology doesn't make you invisible - we can and will trace and identify you

Superintendent Chris Bradford

The raids followed five months of investigation by Metropolitan police officers working in the vice and internet crime departments.

Superintendent Chris Bradford, of the Met's Clubs and Vice Unit, said: "This morning's operation is an excellent example of the Met's continuing work to track down those involved in making and distributing indecent images of children.

"There exists a high level of co-operation between police forces throughout the UK and internet service providers, which will continue.

"Technology doesn't make you invisible - we can and will trace and identify you."

Forces involved were the Metropolitan Police, Avon and Somerset, Grampian, Greater Manchester, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and North Yorkshire Police.

The men arrested were from Bedford, Berkshire, London, Essex, Oxfordshire, Merseyside, Lincolnshire, Surrey and County Antrim.