County Lines: What the police wish you knew

Gloucestershire Police is running a webinar to help carers spot the early signs of child exploitation at the hands of criminal gangs

Officers are running a workshop to help parents and carers spot the signs criminals might be exploiting their children.

Gloucestershire Police and charity Parents Against Child Exploitation are working together to deliver the webinar to help keep children safe.

The special County Lines: South West webinar will be held later between 19:00 GMT to 20:30.

The event is free but participants are asked to sign up online.

Nick Evans, deputy police and crime commissioner and chairman of the Gloucestershire Combating Drugs Partnership, said: "The illegal drugs market is built on violence and exploitation.

"I'm pleased to see the Constabulary is working with neighbouring forces to protect Gloucestershire's young people from being exposed to this sort of harm and starving the drug dealers of the people they need to ply their gruesome trade.

"It can be difficult to know where to turn when you have concerns about a young person, so I hope this webinar will help parents and those with responsibility for young people spot the signs of exploitation, and know who to turn to for help.

"I've signed up, I hope many other parents will too."

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