HI-TECH security measures will stop paedophiles hacking into a Bolton nursery's ground-breaking Internet camera site.

Next month, Bolton School Nursery, which opened in July, will officially launch a page on the World Wide Web.

And, in what is believed to be a national first, special cameras will be placed in a baby room and the pre-school room, beaming regularly updated pictures of children to web visitors.

Computer

Managers say the service will provide parents with the chance to check on their child, from their home computer or office work desk.

Only those knowing a security pass word, which will change every month, will be able to use the cameras.

Yesterday staff at the Dobson Road nursery stressed the safety measures would prevent "paedophiles and undesirables" tapping in to watch the youngsters.

Nursery manager Julie Fletcher said: "The protection of the children has been considered very carefully and I am confident we have exhausted every eventuality.

"I believe we have looked at every possible area when we considered security."

As part of the detailed security checks, monthly print-outs will detail e-mail addresses of every web "visitor" as well as the time they access the computer site. And the manager of the £130-a-week private day nursery revealed the cameras would be positioned to ensure they concentrate on groups of children with an adult present.

Ms Fletcher added: "It means a paedophile would not be able to pretend they were alone with a child in a room.

"If a stray e-mail address appears it will be investigated and we will look to change the access word more frequently.

"But how many people are going to give that out? There couldn't be anybody who wants to protect their child's safety more than a parent."

The nursery, which is registered with Bolton Social Services to take 80 children, plans to buy the two cameras in the next few weeks as it prepares for the web page launch on March 26.

Staff and parents have been consulted and special liaison groups will dicuss the introduction of the state-of-the-art technology, which will cost of £12,000.

Special telephone lines will be connected to the purpose-built building in readiness for the launch.

Ms Fletcher added: "Ofsted and local authority reports will also be available to view. The aim is to give parents the reassurance they need for their children.

"It means that even if they are on the other side of the world, they will be able to check on their child."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.