A retired teacher, members of the armed forces and a scout leader are among 78 people arrested in raids targeting online paedophiles.
A retired teacher, members of the armed forces and a scout leader are among 86 people arrested in raids targeting online paedophiles.
About 140 search warrants were issued by some 40 forces during the UK-wide raids, led by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.
About 140 search warrants were issued by some 40 forces during the UK-wide raids, led by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.
Most warrants related to downloading and sharing indecent images.
Most warrants related to downloading and sharing indecent images.
Some 80 children were removed from harm, including 20 found at raided properties.
Some 80 children were removed from harm, including 20 found at raided properties.
The raids come as the government sets out a draft bill to allow details of internet use in the UK to be stored for a year - enabling intelligence services to keep track of crime with modern technology.
Operation Tharsley took place over 48 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, with support from the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca).
Operation Tharsley was carried out over 48 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the support of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca).
Sex offender breaches
Sex offender breaches
Those arrested include a pathologist, a firefighter, an outdoor activities instructor, government employees, a computer programmer, and a referee.
Those arrested include a pathologist, a firefighter, an activities instructor, government employees, and a referee.
Known offenders who had breached the conditions of the sex offenders register were also held.
Known offenders who had breached the conditions of the sex offenders register were also held.
Forty-two forces from around the UK made the following arrests:
Forty-two forces from around the UK made the following arrests:
Two men were held in Northern Ireland
Police in Dorset made two arrests
In Kent, four men were arrested in Maidstone, Gillingham, Rochester and Herne Bay
North Yorkshire Police made four arrests in Scarborough, Harrogate, Stokesley, and the Whitby area
Two men from County Durham - a 46-year-old from Bishop Auckland and another, 55, from Peterlee
Northumbria Police arrested four men - three from Gateshead, and one from Washington, near Sunderland
Devon and Cornwall Police made three arrests - two in Cornwall and one in Plymouth
Gloucestershire officers arrested a 68-year-old man from Newent
In Wiltshire, a 46-year-old man was arrested in Swindon, while a 28-year-old man was held in Great Bedwyn
West Midlands Police said they had raided six addresses over the past two days. Three people were arrested and four children "safeguarded" by officers in Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Solihull, Sandwell and Dudley
Two arrests were made by police in the Thames Valley
Jersey Police arrested a 20-year-old man
Strathclyde Police confirmed the arrest of three people
Sussex Police arrested a 43-year-old man from Bexhill
Four men were held by officers in Hampshire
A 40-year-old man was arrested near Lincoln on Tuesday, and a 57-year-old man in the Sleaford area
Cumbria Police executed a search warrant at a house in Carlisle and seized computer equipment, but no arrests were made
Abuse link
Two men were held in Northern Ireland
Police in Dorset made two arrests
In Kent, four men were arrested in Maidstone, Gillingham, Rochester and Herne Bay
North Yorkshire Police arrested four in Scarborough, Harrogate, Stokesley, and Whitby
Two people were held in Peterlee and Bishop Auckland in County Durham
Northumbria Police arrested four men - three from Gateshead, and one from Washington
Devon and Cornwall Police held two in Cornwall and one in Plymouth
Gloucestershire officers arrested one Newent man
Police in Wiltshire arrested two men in Swindon and Great Bedwyn
West Midlands Police in Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Solihull, Sandwell and Dudley arrested three and "safeguarded" four children
Thames Valley Police made two arrests
Jersey Police held one man
Strathclyde Police arrested three
Sussex Police arrested a Bexhill man
Four men were held by Hampshire Police
Two men were arrested near Lincoln and Sleaford
Avon and Somerset officers held two men
Cleveland Police arrested two men in the Middlesbrough area
Humberside Police arrested a man in New Waltham, North East Lincolnshire
Cumbria Police raided a Carlisle house, but made no arrests Abuse link
Officers seized laptop computers, USB storage devices and external hard drives, digital cameras and other items capable of storing pictures, according to Andy Baker, deputy chief executive at Ceop.
Officers seized laptop computers, USB storage devices, and digital cameras, according to Ceop's deputy chief executive, Andy Baker.
Mr Baker explained that pictures would be scrutinised to see if victims could be identified using clues in the background.
Mr Baker said pictures would be scrutinised to see identify victims using clues in the background.
"Every image is a crime scene," he said. "We need to identify that crime scene."
Meanwhile, Ceop published a report on risks posed by people who download indecent images of children.
They pointed to analysis showing 55% of those who deliberately obtain images of abuse also go on to commit sex attacks against children.
It reported a "55% correlation" between viewing images of abuse and committing sex attacks against children.
'Extreme, sadistic, violent'
'Sadistic, violent'
Principal analyst at Ceop, Kate Fisher, said that abusive images downloaded via the internet were increasingly becoming "more extreme, sadistic and violent, and feature increasingly younger children".
Principal analyst at Ceop, Kate Fisher, said abusive internet images were becoming "more extreme, sadistic and violent, and feature increasingly younger children".
Ceop called for police forces to prioritise investigating suspects who had easy access to children.
Ceop called for police to prioritise investigating suspects who had easy access to children.
Christian Sjoberg, chief executive of NetClean - which aims to prevent the spread of child sexual abuse content - welcomed the report.
Christian Sjoberg of NetClean, which aims to prevent child sexual abuse content, said: "As police cuts hit home and case volumes increase, crime-fighting agents attempting to tackle the problem are finding their resources stretched."
"As police cuts hit home and case volumes increase, crime fighting agents attempting to tackle the problem are finding their resources stretched to the limits," he said.
"Sophisticated internet use makes the job of child protection increasingly complex, but technology can also hold the key to finding and preventing those who create and distribute this kind of material."
"There is no doubt that advanced technology and sophisticated internet use makes the job of child protection increasingly complex, but technology can also hold the key to finding and preventing those who create and distribute this kind of material."
The raids come as the UK government announces a draft bill to allow details of internet use to be stored for a year, enabling intelligence services to track crime with modern technology.
Home Secretary Theresa May said: "Communications data is vital for the police in their fight against crime, including serious offences such as child abuse, drug dealing and terrorism."
