Lewes MP Norman Baker says teachers should delete any explicit images they find on pupils' phones. 

During a commons debate on cyber bullying yesterday, Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston asked Mr Baker what measure have been taken to prevent young people being "pressured into sending intimate photographs of themselves only to find that those images are sometimes posted, distributed or shared without their consent, which is an important form of bullying and harassment."

Mr Baker replied: "We have given teachers stronger powers to tackle cyber-bullying by searching for and, if necessary, deleting inappropriate images or files on electronic devices, including mobile phones.

"It is critical to educate young people about the risks of sending intimate photographs. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre has developed a specific educational resource to tackle sexting that is designed for use by teachers."

The Internet Watch Foundation revealed last year that as well as being shared on teens’ smartphones, tens of thousands of explicit self-portraits taken by teenagers are ending up on websites viewed by paedophiles.

Children's charity ChildLine also warns that young people are taking huge risks by taking and sending the sexual images.