An elite unit of cyber cops is to be set up to combat internet paedophiles, fraud and extortion rackets.

Home Secretary Jack Straw has pledged £25 million of Government money to set up the new unit.

Eighty officers will be based centrally and in regional police forces. Each force will have at least one cyber cop to tackle internet crime in its area.

The cyber force will also work to combat hackers and computer viruses such as the "I Love You" bug which wreaked havoc with systems last summer.

Up to 40 dedicated investigators will be based at the multi-agency National Hi-Tech Crime Unit in London and 46 in local forces, including Sussex Police.

The cyber cops will be recruited from the police, customs, the National Crime Squad and the National Criminal Intelligence Service.

They are due to start work in April.

Part of the Government money will help fund an international 24-hour hotline to trade information on cyber crime.

Mr Straw said: "The Government is committed to action against hi-tech crime in line with our objective of making the UK the best and safest place in the world to conduct and engage in e-commerce.

"Modern technologies such as the internet offer huge legitimate benefits, but also powerful opportunities for criminals, from those involved in financial fraud to the unlawful activities of paedophiles."

John Abbott, director general of the NCIS, said: "Tackling hi-tech crime is essential to maintaining public confidence.

"Cyber crime ignores borders, be they regional, national or international. Our approach therefore has to be holistic."

Bob Packham, deputy director general of the National Crime Squad, said: "We target organised criminals who are commodity driven. Their main motive is financial profit.

"If you look to the future, e-commerce is taking off and if business and industry goes electronic then organised crime will go electronic. We must keep one-step ahead."