Children as young as nine referred to deradicalisation programmes as extremist grooming rises online

Matt Jukes, head of UK counterterrorism, has compared social media harm to the 'cancer' of smoking and called for an under-16s ban - (PA Archive)

Children as young as nine are being referred to deradicalisation programmes as extremist groups increasingly target young people online, a leading charity has revealed.

Exit Hate UK says the average age of those seeking help is 15, with many being well-educated, middle-class white children "who feel lost," according to chief executive Nigel Bromage.