POLICE across the country have been involved in raids on an alleged Internet paedophile ring, including at a residence in North Yorkshire.

Eight police forces have raided homes in the UK and Northern Ireland as part of an operation to stop child pornography on the Internet.

Eighteen addresses across the country were raided at 7am this morning.

Computers were seized and eight men were arrested on suspicion of distributing indecent images of children

A 15-year-old boy is also being interviewed by police.

North Yorkshire Police were joined in the raids by the Metropolitan Police, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and forces from Avon and Somerset, Grampian, Greater Manchester, Lincolnshire and Merseyside.