'Kayleigh's Love Story' film prompts grooming reports
Police say that 35 children have come forward to them fearing that they may have been groomed online, following the publication of a film about the life of murdered schoolgirl Kayleigh Haywood.
The 15-year-old had talked with a man on Facebook for two weeks before she was killed in 2015.
The five-minute video, made by police with her parent's support, was shown to 35,000 school pupils in September, and was made available online this week.
The film, called Kayleigh's Love Story, was created to warn of the dangers of grooming and sexual exploitation of children.
Leicestershire Police said that following screenings in the county's secondary schools, there have been 35 "disclosures" made by children that are currently being investigated.
Warning: Some viewers may find this film distressing
Deputy Chief Constable Roger Bannister said the reaction from children, parents and teachers had been "overwhelming".
"What happened to Kayleigh was horrific," he said. "But we are pleased that some good is coming from the awful tragedy and that this film is raising far greater awareness of the dangers of online grooming."
The force said that the film was shown to schoolchildren in a "structured" way which allowed staff to discuss the issues raised, before it was made more widely available to the public.