Children's charity Barnardo's has called for safety awareness in London boroughs to help more than 1,000 children who are at risk from sexual exploitation.

The charity is calling for specialist police officers to be drafted into each borough in London to combat child sex abuse in the city. It notes that frontline staff also need training in order to respond more effectively to the trend.

Reports have revealed that abuse ranges from relationships through which youngsters receive accommodation in return for sex, to formal prostitution. Abused children have no access to specialist services, according to the charity.

Barnardo's warned that vulnerable young people were ending up criminalised because they were too scared to name their abusers.

"Sexual exploitation of children and young people is much more prevalent in London than most of its citizens appreciate," said Barnardo's Chief Executive Martin Narey.

"Some of the capital's most vulnerable children suffer at the hands of adults who, all too often, suffer no consequences following their abusive behaviour."

Between 2003 and the end of 2005, there were 425 recorded offences of sexual grooming across England and Wales but no prosecutions. There were 35 recorded offences of "abusing children by prostitution".