A MAJOR police inquiry is under way into a paedophile ring thought to be targeting schoolgirls in West Yorkshire.

One former victim said up to 50 girls, some as young as seven, were taken in vans to houses where they were forced to have sex, often with several men.

Seventeen suspected paedophiles are understood to be under investigation.

West Yorkshire Police will not confirm the location but said a 37-year-old man had been arrested and bailed in connection with the claims.

The force said in a statement: “West Yorkshire Police take all forms of child abuse seriously and we are committed to investigating and disrupting any such abuse.

“Where there is evidence of grooming our focus would be on both helping the child as a victim and prosecuting the offender.”

Most of the girls are believed to be pupils at two schools in West Yorkshire and most now self-harm as a result of their ordeal.

One victim said she and her family were threatened with violence if she revealed what was going on.

“He said he would be waiting for me and he’d kill me. He threatened all my family.

“He threatened to kill my Dad, he threatened to kill my Mum. He said he would kill her slow, slash her with a knife.

“He said to me ‘I will always be watching you. No matter what’. ”