Criticism has been levelled at social workers, police and the Crown Prosecution Service following "missed opportunities" to stop a child exploitation ring which was abusing young girls.

A report into the scandal released on Thursday noted "deficiencies" in the way children's social care responded to the victims' needs in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, a factor it said was caused by "patchy" training of frontline staff.

The Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Board report was ordered following a trial which saw nine Asian men jailed for grooming young girls for sex.

The vulnerable young girls, some as young as ten, were being targeted for sexual abuse, but the report said they were written off by those in authority who believed the girls were "making their own choices".

The inquiry is released just days after The Times published a report which alleged that agencies in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, were aware of extensive and co-ordinated abuse of white girls by some Asian men and detailed a range of offences for which no-one has been prosecuted.

Rochdale Council said it has used the review's findings to implement a catalogue of changes and improvements.

Chief Superintendent Annette Anderson, Divisional Commander for Rochdale, said: "This report once again highlights the complex nature of child sexual exploitation and we acknowledge its findings.

"We have already stated that there were issues with an initial inquiry into CSE in Rochdale in 2008.

"However, the IPCC are currently supervising an investigation into that inquiry so it would be inappropriate for us to go into further details at this moment."

Richard Scorer is a lawyer representing some of the victims, he says this "damning report" will likely lead to legal action for a "whole catalogue of failings".