Police arrested 13 men on suspicion of distributing paedophilic images of children during a series of dawn raids.

All 13 have since been granted police bail while the investigation continues.

Four men from Chester and two men from Ellesmere Port were among those arrested as part of a sting, which saw officers target addresses across the county between 6.30am and 8am yesterday (Wednesday, November 26).

Police seized computers and other devices during the raids, which saw the men arrested on suspicion of uploading and distributing indecent images of children on the internet.

Four men aged, 51, 21, 29 and 42, from Chester and a 36-year-old and 46-year-old man from Ellesmere Port were among those arrested.

Two men from Winsford, aged 40 and 46, were also arrested, along with a 24-year-old from Sandbach and a 68-year-old form Knutsford.

All suspects, including a 67-year-old man from Crewe, a 43-year-old from Widnes and a man, aged 63 from Middlewich, are now being questioned by specialist officers.

The arrests come after an investigation by the dedicated Paedophile and Cybercrime Investigation team, who acted on intelligence and used specialist technology to identify the suspects, say police.

Detective Superintendent Geraint Jones, said: "The arrests made in yesterday′s operation were a huge success and now the investigation continues as we analyse the computers and other hardware that were seized.

"Cases such as this are often complex and involve information which must be meticulously investigated. By having a dedicated Paedophile and Cybercrime Investigation Team who are fully committed to tackling this issue, we can ensure that Cheshire Police do everything possible to fully investigate such serious offences.

"Behind every indecent image is an abused child and sharing such images online is illegal and results in further abuse. The operation has used the most up-to-date technology and intelligence to identify suspects, and this technology will continue to be used throughout the course of the investigations."

Cheshire Police would like to remind the public that they can report any online illegal activity by calling 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.