Paedophiles who stalk children through Internet chatrooms are the target of a new joint operation by Thames Valley Police and the Royal Air Force.

The ChatSafe Initiative, which is supported by TV star Carol Vorderman, encourages chatroom users to take a few simple steps to avoid contact with people who use the net to lure young people into meeting them.

Det Sgt John Kemsley, of Thames Valley's crime strategy unit, said: "Paedophiles will use every trick in the book. They act as very convincing teenagers in chatrooms, pretending to have the same interests, beliefs and problems as the youngsters they are chatting to.

"We hope, by showing this video and raising awareness, that children and their parents can get all the fun and benefit of the Internet without the worry or danger."

Chat Safe, run jointly by Thames Valley and the RAF's provost and security services southern region, includes a video presented by Carol and lesson plans for schools, to be distributed by police school liaison officers.

The video includes interviews with teenagers who fell for paedophiles' traps in chatrooms but came to no harm, thanks to adult intervention.

RAF families support spokesman Wing Commander Hugh Milroy said: "We make no apologies for tackling the subject of paedophiles head on. They exist and we are determined to play our part in thwarting them."

The video and lesson plans include safety tips such as:

**Not giving out information or photographs that could identify you

**Not taking people at face value because they may not be what they seem

**Never arranging to see someone you've only met on the Internet without telling your parents, getting their permission and taking an adult with you. Meet in a public place

**Always stay in public areas of chat where other people are around

**Don't open an attachment or downloaded file unless you know and trust the person who sent it

**Never respond directly to anything you find disturbing -- save or print it, log off and tell an adult.

Information and advice for both parents and children, including excerpts from the video, will also be made available on the Internet at www.thamesvalley.police.uk/chatsafe.

Service families can access the information on www.raf.mod.uk/ptc/sfaw.html.