Official sources remained tight-lipped yesterday over claims that up to 13 known child sex offenders are living close to a primary school and nursery in Redruth.

The police - who maintain a register of sex offenders - would not confirm or deny the claim and Cornwall county council's press office declined an invitation to comment.

A Redruth resident said in a letter to the Packet that he had been told by a friend, working for Cornwall social services department, that the 13 paedophiles were living in the town, close to Trewirgie junior and infants school, Bugs nursery school and Redruth Library, which is often visited by young children.

Packet inquiries established that the Clinton Road residents' association has complained in the past about sex offenders in the area.

They wanted to know more about the paedophiles but the police refused to give them the information they requested.

Jackie Skidmore, treasurer of the association, said: "If these people are on the sex offenders' register we have a right to see it.

"We thought we had one living nearby and we went to see the police but they wouldn't give us any information. We had to do something because you just feel a bit vulnerable."

Peter Lapping, secretary of the association, said that the problem had gone back several years.

He said: "We have had a whole number of issues relating to this. At one of the residents' meetings it was raised that there were apparently sex offenders in the area.

"We went to the police but we were not given any information, which didn't really surprise us at the time."

Mr Lapping added: "It's just another case of Redruth becoming a dumping ground for these sort of people."

The housing of sex offenders after they have completed prison sentences has become a highly-publicised national issue. The News of the World has led a "name and shame" campaign and has pressed for the Sex Offenders' Register to be made public.

Those opposed to a public register fear that vigilante groups could attack paedophiles. This has, in fact, happened in other parts of the country and mis-informed groups of vigilantes have even attacked the homes of innocent people thinking they were child sex offenders. A paediatrician - a doctor specialising in children - even had her home attacked when neighbours mistakenly thought a paedophile lived there.

Those campaigning for the Sex Offenders' Register to be made public argue that parents in particular have a right to know that their children are exposed to the risk of attack from offenders living in their area.

The police can, if they think it is justified, pass on information about child sex offenders to schools and youth clubs close to where they are living. The courts have upheld the right of the police to disclose information when it is considered to be in the public interest.

Devon and Cornwall Police have not, however, given any information to Trewirgie School or the Bugs nursery school.

David Simons, head teacher of Trewirgie School, said it was up to the authorities to reassure the public that the sex offenders were being properly monitored.

He said: "If they have to be housed in Redruth so be it, but the important thing is that we are tightly monitored and policed."

In January last year, a man living in Clinton Road, Redruth, was sent to jail after pleading guilty to 11 sex offences, including buggering a seven-year-old boy. Stanley Sinkins moved to Clinton Road in 1996 after serving 12 months in prison for indecently assaulting three boys at a care home in Kent and was on the Sex Offenders' Register, although this was not made public until after he committed further offences.

A police spokesman said they would not comment on individual allegations of paedophile activity because of the risk of vigilante action. "We have seen plenty of cases where people have been stoned out of their houses so we won't get involved on an individual basis," he said. " If we thought it was appropriate to do so we would liaise with schools under certain circumstances. We want to protect the public from paedophiles but if the courts dictate they are allowed back into society then we have to uphold their rights as well."