A Scottish police force is using computer software to stop paedophiles from grooming young people on the internet via chat rooms.

Fife Constabulary has responded to parental concerns that children are being exposed to explicit material online.

Using software called ComputerCop, police say parents should be able to have piece of mind when young people use computers.

Peter Wilson, Fife Constabulary chief constable, said the increasing demand for internet use made it essential to provide some form of safeguard.

Police said parents would have effective checks

He said: "Computers and the Internet are now a daily part of life for most people.

"And the ever-expanding system that we call the World Wide Web has given the average person access to volumes of information at their fingertips."

But some people used technology to lure young people, he added.

Mr Wilson said ComputerCop was one way to assist parents in monitoring their children on the Internet.

"It offers the ability to see where their children are visiting they can ensure that they are not subjected to images that are not appropriate or going to sites that lend themselves to online predators."

'Wonderful learning tool'

ComputerCop has been developed by Fife Constabulary's crime management department, and is supported by the Fife Community Safety Partnership (FCSP).

FCSP co-ordinator Tim Kendrick said: "This is a superb piece of software which reacts to key-words and images, alerting parents to potential problems early on.

"The partnership is pleased to be part of the idea and would commend the concept to parents in Fife and beyond."

Chief Inspector Tony Fitzpatrick said the internet was a "wonderful learning tool" but checks must be in place to ensure pornographic or violent images were not being viewed by young people.