POLICE arrested 33 men in Hampshire during a national day of action to tackle online paedophiles.

The men have all been questioned on suspicion of committing online child abuse in the county over the past six months.

As a result of the arrests, 17 children who had some form of contact with the men have been safeguarded.

The figures come as part of an operation led by the National Crime Agency which has led to 660 arrests across the country, which have included doctors, teachers and Scout leaders.

Hampshire police was unable to confirm whether men in those professions were among those arrested in their force area, or whether any of them had been subsequently charged.

The constabulary did say that the arrests came after 37 files of information were given to them by the NCA.

The 33 men were all arrested on suspicion of possessing and distributing indecent images of children.