A PETITION calling for a full scale investigation into allegations of organised child sex abuse in Barrow has gained huge momentum and has led celebrities to take to social media to back the campaign.

The petition, addressed to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and the National Crime Agency, has now been backed by more than 15,000 supporters.

Former Coronation Street star Lucy Fallon, known for playing Bethany Platt, a character who was a victim of a groomer and sex ring, has spoken out on Twitter.

In the tweet, Lucy said that she is fully supporting the campaign, stating that it is ‘completely heartbreaking’ and that ‘we should not be silencing young girls’.

Holly Hagan, from the MTV series Geordie Shore, also voiced her support on Twitter.

Holly described the situation as ‘absolutely beyond heartbreaking’.

Others who have declared support include mixed martial arts fighter Michael Bisping and Love Island’s Ellie Brown.

The petition was started after a Barrow woman in her late teens reported allegations of horrific physical and sexual abuse on a social media post last week. The woman claimed that she had been beaten, burned, drugged and trafficked for sex throughout the north of England by a gang of Asian men.

She posted graphic pictures of injuries.

Her post caused an outpouring of both anger and support on social media.

Police in Barrow responded by confirming a year long investigation had found ‘no evidence’ of a gang of men exploiting young women in Barrow. Detective Chief Superintendent Dean Holden, head of crime and safeguarding at Cumbria Police, said the investigation had also been subjected to an independent peer review, which found no major faults in Cumbria Police’s handling of the investigation.

Any women who have been, or still are, victims of emotional, physical or sexual abuse of any kind, are able to call Women’s Community Matters for valuable support on: 01229 311102 or alternatively, email: reception@womenscommunitymatters.org