A PROFESSIONAL photographer from Bolton has been detained in Bulgaria after police found a stash of 800 computer disks containing more than 20,000 pictures of half-naked children in a raid on his home.

Alex Antsward, aged 42, has been questioned by officers for possible offences related to child pornography.

Investigators in Bulgaria have charged Antsward with use of unlicensed software and ordered him not to leave the country. He has been living in the east Bulgarian port city of Varna under the name of Charles Taylor.

A spokesman for the local police said a raid on Antsward's Varna home revealed thousands of pictures of semi-naked children aged between eight and 18, and were now carrying out an investigation into child pornography.

Antsward has denied the allegations and said his company, Impact Photographic Studio, took the photos at the request of parents who were present at all times during the shooting. He also said his company manages websites for various clients who order the photos of their children.

He insisted there was no wrongdoing and Impact Photographic Studio employees have defended Antsward saying the allegations were "ludicrous".

A solicitor representing Antsward said the allegations that the pictures he had taken were pornographic were absurd and that he was only interested in documenting the transition of girls into women.

Bozhura Tsvetanova, a senior police officer investigating the case, last night confirmed that an investigation into the was was still ongoing.