Sex offenders are on the run in Sussex after police admitted they had lost track of their whereabouts.

Figures obtained by The Argus show five convicted criminals are currently roaming the streets - but Sussex Police refused to reveal their names.

One rape victim said she was “horrified” by the decision not to identify the missing criminals, but the force insisted there was “no serious risk of harm” to the public.

Other campaigners support the decision not to release the details, claiming vigilante groups might start a “witch hunt”.

There are now nearly 1,200 people on the sex offenders register in the county, which those convicted of sex crimes are forced to sign.

Their offences range from downloading child porn to serious rapes and sexual assaults.

Each convicted criminal is required to notify police if they change their address and all are regularly checked by specially trained officers.

Yet records from September 30 show Sussex Police had lost track of five offenders it was supposed to be monitoring.

The news comes after The Argus revealed in August that the force had waited seven months before informing the public about a sex offender on the run.

Brian Rogers, 54, was finally arrested in London on August 27, less than 24 hours after police finally launched an urgent appeal.

A force spokesman said there was no evidence the remaining missing criminals had committed any more offences since their disappearance.

But one victim of a violent rape, who did not wish to be named, said the situation was “extremely worrying”.

She said: “I find it really frightening that these criminals are just out there and the police have no idea where they are.

“These might be really dangerous people so I can't understand why they won't just tell us who they are and what they look like.

“People deserve to feel safe in their own homes so the police should just name these people so they can be caught quickly.”

However another abuse victim, Jill Lennon from Fishersgate, said she understood why officers had decided to keep the identities secret.

She said: “In an ideal world, we'd know who all of them are.

“Sadly, if the police name them then there will probably be some sort of witch hunt.”

But Mrs Lennon, who was abused by her own father for years, said the sex offenders register was “simply not working” in Sussex.

She said: “My fear is that too many sex offenders are being let back out on the streets too early.

“Many of these people are extremely cunning and will do anything to slip off the police radar.”

A spokesman for Sussex Police insisted the number of missing criminals “clearly demonstrates the effectiveness” of the system.

He said: “If at any time a registered sexual offender is missing and there is a genuine law enforcement reason to name the individual, this will be done.

“However, Sussex Police, nor the police service generally, would name an individual, unless there is a lawful policing purpose to do so.

“If we felt a particular offender was likely to cause actual or immediate harm to the public we would most certainly consider using publicity to help trace the offender.”