Sports clubs in Bradford are being sent letters of advice to help them tackle the risk of child sexual exploitation

The move was revealed at a meeting of Bradford East Area Committee by Jenny Cryer, of the Bradford CSE Hub, after the issue was raised by Councillor Rizwana Jamil (Lab, Bowling and Barkerend).

She said: “There will be a leaflet sent out to be put in sports clubs telling people how they can come forward if it’s an issue.

“There is no evidence it is an issue in Bradford but we to make sure people are aware of the issue.”

Joe Mosley, community and development director at Bradford Park Avenue, said the issue of child sex exploitation, was not something he has ever come across at the club.

He said: “We will be doing exactly what the league has asked us to do, it has sent various letters and recommendations to each club secretary and we will be taking those recommendations on board.

“We have never had an issue we have come across, it is a serious issue and we have never had an incident that has been noticed or reported, but we never know with this kind of thing, frightened children tend not to speak out about these things.

“All we can do is instruct and inform people and hope to prevent this kind of thing from ever going on.

“As we have been instructed to do we will heed what the league have suggested we should be doing.

“It’s likely the recent revelations from other football clubs are just the tip of the iceberg, there is potential for this to be going on wherever there are children, but we are not aware of anything of this nature happening at Bradford Park Avenue.

Andy Harland, secretary of Bradford Dudley Hill Rugby League Club, said the issue has also never come up at that club.

He said all its coaches underwent checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service and has done so for the last decade.

“We are responsible for these children and will be supporting this action wholeheartedly. We have a duty of to keep children safe and anything we can do we will do,” Mr Harland said.