Around 1,100 children run away from home or care in the Bradford district each year, according to a new report launched today by a leading charity.

In a bid to address the problem, The Children's Society is calling for a refuge for young runaways

to be established in West Yorkshire.

A petition, signed by more than 100,000 people, calling for Government action, will be delivered to Downing Street by a group of young runaways today.

The Children's Society's call for a network of refuges has been launched to coincide with the first day of the charity's Safe and Sound Week, which runs until October 16.

The charity's report, Still Running II, claims that around 3,700 children a year run away from home in West Yorkshire with one-in-six forced to sleep rough or with strangers and two thirds claiming they were not reported missing by relatives or friends.

There are currently only three designated refuges for runaways, with none in West Yorkshire.

However, a spokesman for Barnardo's in Bradford said services already existed throughout the district to cater for children who leave home or care.

Helen West, from Barnardo's Missing In Yorkshire service,

said the charity had recently established a pilot project which provided accommodation for young runaways on a night-by-night basis.

Youngsters must be reported missing by the police or local authorities.

Miss West said: "The Community Refuge Project, a partnership between Barnardo's and Bradford Social Services,

provides volunteer carers from throughout the district who can offer a bed for the night.

"A social worker from the project will then follow-up the case the next day and offer them support and advice.

"We can then refer young people on to counsellors who will work with them. But it is entirely up to them if they want to take things forward."

Six young people have accessed the project since it began in May this year.

Miss West added: "The pilot project has been launched in the area to see if there is a need for it.

"But the important thing for young runaways is that there is someone there for them to talk to about their problems - which are often very complex."

There are a number of projects working with homeless youngsters in the district, including Bradford Nightstop, which provides accommodation for homeless youngsters by taking them off the streets and letting them spend the night in the homes of a volunteer.

Last year the charity provided a bed for the night to 825 young people.

The Missing In Yorkshire service also works with children in their own home or shelter after receiving referrals from the police.

However, Mark Lee, The Children's Society's regional director for the North, said there was a need for refuges which would allow young people to refer themselves rather than relying on the intervention of the police or other local authorities.

He added: "Unless the Government urgently funds a national network of refuges for runaways, thousands more children will slip into the hands

of dangerous adults and are at risk of serious harm and exploitation."

A Bradford Council spokesman said a representative from the Community Refuge Project had been invited to a seminar being held at the Houses of Parliament tomorrow on young runaways.