More than one hundred children under the age of 10 have their details stored on the DNA database, the Liberal Democrats have discovered.

The figures, uncovered by Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Clegg MP, show that 108 children under 10 are on the database, along with 883,888 people aged between 10 and 17, and 46 people more than 90 years old.

Commenting, Nick Clegg said:

"The Government’s onward march towards a surveillance state has now become a headlong rush.

"As an increasing number of very young children well under the age of criminal responsibility appear on the database it is clear the Government sees no limits to its invasion of our privacy.

"Worse still, by harvesting the data of many people who are not even charged with an offence, let alone convicted, the fundamental principle that we are innocent until proven guilty is further undermined.

"Why should anyone be on this database if they are entirely innocent of any wrong doing?