POLICE were last night investigating claims that a 12-year-old girl was stalked by a man on the Internet, but admitted they could be powerless to act.

The youngster, whom The Northern Echo is choosing not to identify, was sent pornographic images and had arranged to meet the man at her home on Teesside before her family stepped in.

Cleveland police confirmed that they had received a complaint and officers were attempting to trace a man living in the Greater London area.

But they said that although inquiries were continuing, so far no offences had been disclosed.

Changes to the law to make grooming a child with intent to have sexual relations an offence have been announced by Home Secretary David Blunkett, but are unlikely to come into effect until next year.

Meanwhile, The Northern Echo has learned that the man, who has already received a warning about his behaviour, is continuing to make on-line contact with other youngsters.

The 12-year-old girl's grandfather said last night: "If I get hold of him, I will kill him - he needs stopping.

"Who knows what would have happened if they had met. He could have done anything.

David Stenson, of support group Internet Safety in Teesside, said: "This kind of thing is happening in homes up and down the country."

Twenty men have been jailed in the past two years for sex offences involving children whom they met in chat rooms, according to charity NCH Action for Children.

Teesside university professor Alisdair Gillespie, a member of the Home Office's Internet Task Force, said: "There is acknowledgement by the Government that this is a problem and they are trying to do something about it, but it takes time.

"It is unfortunate at the moment that where you get a case like this, there is very little the police can do."

Mr Gillespie said it was difficult to bring a prosecution unless a meeting had taken place or harrassment could be proved.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland police said officers were making checks on the man.