Nursery woman quizzed in porn probe

The worker, named locally as Vanessa George, 39, has been held since midnight on Monday after police swooped on her home in Efford, Plymouth, and the city's Little Teds nursery.

Little Teds, which caters for about 60 children, has been closed as part of the investigation. Police have confirmed their probe is focused on the section of the nursery which looks after the youngest group of babies and toddlers.

The arrest of the mother-of-two followed that of Colin Blanchard, 38, from Littleborough near Rochdale, who was charged on Tuesday with possessing and distributing indecent images.

Devon and Cornwall Police have refused to confirm or deny that Ms George is the woman they are holding. Officers have also refused to confirm that the images involved children at the nursery.

Officers said computer equipment, including a disc containing images of "a serious nature", were among the items seized during its operation.

Chief Superintendent Jim Webster, head of Plymouth police, said the woman arrested was suspected of being "concerned in the distribution of child pornography images".

He said: "Of course, it is a concern to all of us that she worked in a nursery. Our work is to find out what has happened, where the images have come from, where they have been sent to, and any risk to anybody in Plymouth."

Little Teds operates from Laira Green Primary School and Laira United Church Hall.

Children are aged between two and five, but youngsters up to 11 can attend breakfast and after-school clubs.