Facebook to help find missing children

The charity Missing People has set up an application for Facebook users to download, which allows information on current appeals to be displayed on their homepage.

Missing People is also joining Bebo's "Be Cause", an internet site which gives information for young people about charities and campaign groups, to publicise its 24-hour Runaway Helpline.

It hopes to access millions of internet users in its quest to find thousands of youngsters who go missing each year.

Kate and Gerry McCann welcomed the initiative, saying: "We strongly support and encourage this new initiative to use Facebook to increase awareness of missing children.

"Using the power of social media in this way will undoubtedly capture the attention - and hopefully the help - of a younger population who are a hugely valuable and resourceful group.

"We would urge the millions of Facebook users around the world to keep looking and to do what they can to help bring these children home.

"This initiative by Missing People, British Telecom and all those supporting them, is another highly commendable and positive step in protecting and helping children."

The charity's own website has attracted 40 million "hits" in the year since it was launched, and Missing People already posts film clips on YouTube.