More than 1,200 children were rescued from sexual, domestic or labour slavery in England last year, a report reveals today.

They were identified by police, charities and welfare experts as potential victims of so-called modern slavery, which includes human trafficking and forced labour.

But the figure could merely be the ‘tip of the iceberg’, with many more unreported cases, the study by the Children’s Commissioner for England warns.

Anne Longfield has urged politicians to stamp out the ‘horrendous exploitation’ of youngsters by adults.

Some 1,204 children aged up to 17 were referred to the NRM last year for suspected domestic servitude, labour or sexual exploitation in England – an increase of a third, from 901 in 2015. The child in the image is a model

She said slavery was just one of several serious issues that forced millions of children across the country to live ‘vulnerable or high-risk lives’.

Her report cites the latest figures from the Government’s national referral mechanism (NRM), the official framework for identifying and helping victims of slavery and trafficking.

Some 1,204 children aged up to 17 were referred to the NRM last year for suspected domestic servitude, labour or sexual exploitation in England – an increase of a third, from 901 in 2015.

British nationals were the biggest group at 247, with 209 of them feared to have been caught up in sexual exploitation.

Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield's report cites the latest figures from the Government’s national referral mechanism (NRM), the official framework for identifying and helping victims of slavery and trafficking

They were followed by 223 Albanian youngsters, of whom 150 were referred for potential labour exploitation. The third highest source of referrals were 200 Vietnamese children, with 101 of them feared trapped in forced labour.

Nigerian children also made up 40 of the NRM referrals in 2016, with 18 of these for suspected domestic servitude.

However, the report says there are many ‘invisible children’ who may be ‘particularly vulnerable’ due to gaps in identification.

These youngsters may ‘have been victims of modern slavery but not reported to the national referral mechanism’.

Miss Longfield said: ‘Child slavery leaves deep scars on the lives of those children who suffer horrendous exploitation by adults – and this could well be only the tip of the iceberg.

‘These appalling crimes need to remain in the spotlight and be consigned to the past.

‘I hope today’s report highlighting the large number of children living vulnerable lives will be a spur for politicians to act.’

Jakub Sobik, from the organisation Anti-Slavery International, said: ‘Child slavery affects thousands of British children and those trafficked from abroad.

‘But the UK is not well prepared to protect them. Trafficked children go missing from the care system at an alarming rate.’

The youngsters were identified by police, charities and welfare experts as potential victims of so-called modern slavery, which includes human trafficking and forced labour

Police in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire found 140 ‘modern slaves’ between January 2014 and the end of 2016.

They included a child of 14 and a 15-year-old Albanian boy who was forced to work as a pickpocket in Nottingham.

In April, Theresa May faced embarrassment after serious failings in her campaign against modern slavery were identified by MPs on the Commons work and pensions committee.

The problem is a long-standing one. In 2014, a report commissioned by Rotherham Council revealed that at least 1,400 children in the town, some as young as 11, had been subjected to appalling sexual exploitation between 1997 and 2013.

British nationals made up the biggest group of exploited children at 247, with 209 of them feared to have been caught up in sexual exploitation

A spokesman for the British charity the Human Trafficking Foundation added: ‘The data around child trafficking masks the scale of the problem, not only because many children are hidden or too scared to come forward, but also because we are often failing to recognise child victims of modern slavery when they actually do come forward.

‘British or Albanian boys or girls being exploited by often violent adults in drug-running cases are still treated as young criminals and gang members rather than as victims of exploitation.’

Robert Goodwill, minister for children and families, said: ‘We will look carefully at these exploratory statistics.’