A Shropshire solicitor has issued a stark warning about the dangers of the internet and social media on vulnerable youngsters.

Family law expert Bryony Walker, who is also a trustee of two charities which provide support to families, said that many people are unaware of the true horrors that exist in society.

Her warning comes on the day that a national watchdog has warned that Twitter’s child protection policies are lagging behind those of other social networking sites.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) has urged Twitter to address its fears that some paedophiles use the site to discuss abuse and link to pornographic images.

Twitter has said that safety is a high priority and that it acts immediately on complaints of inappropriate behaviour.

But Mrs Walker, who is a partner at Shropshire’s Mortimers Solicitors, said: “Once an item is launched into the web, then it is difficult to recall or rethink what has been released.

“The internet allows people to act quickly without thinking or reflecting on the effect of what they have done.

“So many people are naïve and unaware of the true horrors that exist in society which makes them truly vulnerable in the internet world.”

Mrs Walker, who works from Mortimers’ Bridgnorth office as part of its expanding family law team, is a trustee of both a local and national charity supporting families of children with disabilities.

“From this voluntary work, I know how careful one has to be to ensure that children are fully protected,” said Mrs Walker.

“We have to be so aware of the potential dangers that the internet and in particular social media poses for child protection.”