BBC dragged into child data loss incident

The BBC has been forced to apologise to the families of 250 children, after the loss of a USB data stick containing a wealth of detailed and potentially dangerous personal data.

The lost data included children's names, addresses, mobile phone numbers, dates of birth and details of when they, and therefore their parents, would be away on holiday.

It was stolen from an independent production company commissioned by the BBC to produce programmes. In the wrong hands, such data would provide a perfect roadmap and timetable to burgle the homes of the children or enable paedophiles to easily target and contact the children listed.

The theft occurred last month but has only come to light now. Richard Deverell, the BBC Children’s Controller, contacted parents admitting the loss, apologising for the incident and asking parents to report anything “that gives you cause for concern.”

A BBC spokesman added: "This data was not lost by the BBC itself, but stolen from an independent production company working for the CBBC channel. However we took the issue very seriously and continue to do so."

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