A rallying call has been sent out to encourage as many people as possible to sign up to Child Rescue Alert at an event hosted in Wales this week by Dr Kay Swinburne MEP and the charity Missing People.

The Child Rescue Alert is part of the Europe-wide Amber Alert system which exists to spread details of missing children whose lives are thought to be in danger as quickly as possible via phones, apps, social media and business networks, as well as traditional news channels. One of the first times it was used was in the tragic case of Welsh schoolgirl April Jones. Since then the system has been enhanced and over 315000 members of the public have signed up to receive alerts.  On that occasion April could not be saved, but the child alerting systems around the world have been credited with locating children and saving lives on a regular basis. April’s parents, Coral and Paul, are ambassadors for the charity and spoke movingly at the event.

Speaking at the event, Coral Jones said,

"We’re pleased to join Dr Kay Swinburne MEP and her guests this evening to promote Child Rescue Alert in Wales. Today, we’re asking everyone to sign up to Child Rescue Alerts to help ensure no other parents experience the pain we feel as a result of the tragic ending to the search for our daughter April. With your help we can make sure the next time a child is taken or in danger we can bring them home safely."

Dr Kay Swinburne MEP said, “I too am delighted to support this campaign and would encourage more people throughout Wales to sign up as soon as possible.

“The more individuals, charities and businesses that sign up to this system the better as the wider the network the more likely it will be that high risk missing children can be found quickly and reunited with their family.”

The campaign is backed in Wales by a number of organisations including Admiral Insurance and the Western Mail.

Kay added: "The Child Rescue Alert system aims to help save more children's lives.  However, it needs support from politicians, companies and organisations, but most of all from the public.

"That means more of us need to get involved directly.  People can sign up themselves so that they will be one of the individuals alerted when a child is in danger – and they can send on the message to their network of contacts by text and social media.

"Companies, organisations, clubs and schools can all get involved too. The more people signed up, the quicker information can get out, the more children we may save."

You can sign up to receive Child Rescue Alert sms and emails from the website: childrescuealert.org.uk