Pingle School pupils get requests for naked images

Messaging site ooVoo said it took the matters very seriously and deleted accounts that put any users at risk

Police are investigating after pupils at a Derbyshire school were encouraged to post explicit images online.

Pupils at Pingle School, Swadlincote, were asked to send naked images to the messaging site ooVoo.

Derbyshire Police said it was "investigating the sharing of indecent images" via text message, social media, or tablet and phone apps.

The force said it was unclear who made the requests. The school said warnings were sent to parents and other schools.

'Big problem'

Simon Waller, assistant head at the school, said: "It came to light after one of our mentors had seen a text message and was quite suspicious.

"It started off quite low key but the more we dug, we uncovered quite a big problem.

"We've got a really rigid e-safety programme. Clearly some of the messages aren't getting through, so we have got extra measures in place."

He said police officers were coming in to deliver assemblies on online safety to all year groups. Pupils are aged from 11 to 18 years old.

A Derbyshire Police spokesperson said the investigation was in an early stage and it was not yet known whether requests were sent by a lone online predator.

Police have urged parents to be vigilant and monitor their child's online activity.

A spokesman for ooVoo said the issue was a problem for the social media industry and the site aimed to provide users with a "safe and private experience".

He said: "We take these issues very seriously and have a chief privacy officer who roots out and deletes any accounts which may place children or any ooVoo users at risk.

"The reported behaviours are offensive, illegal and when identified as such will be immediately reported to the proper authorities."