ANTI-PAEDOPHILE campaigners have welcomed the news that Sarah’s Law will be introduced in Dorset later this year.

The new legislation allows concerned parents and guardians to make background checks on people who have close contact with their children to see if they are sex offenders.

The law has already been successfully tested in neighbouring Hampshire and elsewhere in Britain.

Mother and anti-paedophile campaigner Michelle Ross, of Wyke Regis, said she was ‘very happy’ to learn that the law would come into force in Dorset.

She was behind a Facebook campaign launched to try to bring in Sarah’s Law after learning that paedophile David Payne was living in Weymouth – despite being banned from living near a beach.

Michelle said: “It’s about time parents had these rights.

“I just hope that this legislation goes far enough and does its job to rid the country of paedophiles.

“We were campaigning for this to be brought in for some time.”

Michelle joined other campaigners as they marched through Weymouth chanting ‘paedos out’ in February.

Great-grandmother Denise Kean, 65, said it was ‘absolutely brilliant’ that the new law was coming in.

Mrs Kean, of Wessex Way, Dorchester, said: “These children need to be protected and I completely agree with the need for these laws.

“I have five adult children, in their 30s and 40s, 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, all throughout the Dorset area.

“I’m bringing up one of my granddaughters, who’s only five and a half, and kids that age need protection these days.”

Mrs Kean, who helps teach children to swim at Damers First School, Dorchester, added: “I will definitely be making enquiries about people under this law.

“Parents have got a right to know about the people living near them.”

A Home Office spokesman confirmed that the Child Sex Offenders Disclosure Scheme – otherwise known as Sarah’s Law – will come into force in Dorset ‘by the end of autumn.’ Dorset Police Disclosure Scheme leader, Detective Inspector Sarah Derbyshire, said: “Pilot schemes undertaken in other parts of the country have been very well received by those in trial areas.

“As a result, we are pleased to adopt the Child Sex Offenders Disclosure Scheme in Dorset for the first time.

“Dorset Police work extremely hard to safeguard children within our communities and we are keen to adopt this new service to strengthen our safeguarding procedures.”