Naked children photos will not be taken by X-rays claims airport security

Photographs of naked children will be not be subjected to X-ray body scanners which produces images of flight passengers, airport officials have said.

Concerned travellers can opt out of the virtual strip search but the airport planned to let children take part if their parents gave consent.

Civil rights group Action on Rights for Children (Arch) contacted them this week though to point out the legal issue of security workers creating and examining indecent images of children.

Arch national director Terri Dowty said: ''It's not right to put the machine operators in the position where they are being asked to break the law

''This is not about whether we think the scanner is a good idea or a bad idea. It's just not lawful and falls under the terms of strict liability. nder present legislation the taking of images of children in this way cannot be done.''

The 12-month trial of the RapiScan machine which enables staff to spot any hidden explosives or weapons is due to begin early next month.

Electromagnetic waves are beamed on to passengers while they stand in a booth and a virtual three-dimensional ''naked'' image is created from the reflected energy.

The black and white images produced will only be seen by one officer in a remote location before it is deleted.

It aims to make the check-in process much quicker for passengers who will not have to remove their coats, shoes or belts on a traditional ''pat down'' search.

Frequent flyers do not need to worry about radiation from the low-level X-ray with passengers able to go through the machine 5,000 times a year without worrying, said airport officials.

The scanners, which cost £80,000 each, were also trialled at Heathrow Airport in 2004.

Security officials in the United States have pioneered their use at New York and Los Angeles airports, and they are gradually being rolled out in other airports in the country.