CHILDREN aged as young as four could be given internet safety lessons in school because the threat from perverts online is so serious.

Rachel O'Connell, director of the cyberspace research unit at the University of Central Lancashire, has proposed the move to the county's education bosses.

She said learning to negotiate the web safely was as essential as learning to cross the road or going outside alone.

Miss O'Connell said her plan would make kids streetwise to the typical grooming methods of paedophiles.

And, she added, just as life skills such as the Green Cross Code help children avoid dangerous situations, teaching internet safety would enable kids to surf the web and chatrooms safely without becoming the victims of sexual abuse.

Last week she had a meeting with bosses from Lancashire LEA to outline what she thinks needs to be done.

And staff from Blackburn with Darwen's education department have indicated they are also willing to listen to Ms O'Connell, who is one of the country's leading academics on internet safety.

She revealed her plans after internet chatroom predator Charles Monaghan was jailed for sexually abusing East Lancashire girls, in a case which highlighted the dangers of the web.

Ms O'Connell, who has worked with Microsoft and the government on internet safety, said today: "I think that teaching internet safety should be mandatory. It has to be part of the curriculum.

"I know teachers are overworked but the risks are higher.

"Teachers should be given training and that should start as soon as they start school. It is an important life skill

"They cannot restrict people going into chatrooms, so what we really need is education, education, education.

"I met with the Lancashire LEA about this and they took it on board and I think I will be hearing from them about putting programmes together and delivering training to headteachers."

Coun Dave Hollings, executive member for education at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said he would be happy to speak to Ms O'Connell about her ideas.

He added: "It is very important and if anyone had ideas how to improve what we do, we would be very interested in listening to them.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "The safety of pupils on the internet is very important and something we take seriously. We are always keen to look at new ways in which children can learn in safety."

Monagahan, 38, of Fulwood, pretended to be "Michelle" from a modelling agency when he approached the girls, aged 13 to 15, in a chatroom, offering lucrative work modelling lip gloss and facial cream.

When he called at the girls' houses he said "Michelle" was in a meeting and he had been sent instead.

Monaghan then began taking the girls to either his home or rooms at the Stirk House, Gisburn, Bull's Head, Brownhill, and Swallow Hotel, Samlesbury.

He got them perform sex acts on him, smeared their breasts with chocolate and had full sex with one of the girls while another watched.

After Monaghan was jailed for three years and four months last week, police said he was a dangerous man, who had groomed and degraded the girls.