Britain launched a "Most Wanted" website yesterday detailing the names and pictures of missing child sex offenders, the first time such information has been published nationally.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre said the national site would include the background and pictures of paedophiles who had failed to comply with regulations requiring them to notify their whereabouts with the police.

"There will be nowhere to hide," said CEOP chief executive officer Jim Gamble.

"While it isn't new for the UK police to publish details of offenders on their own sites this is the first time that a nationwide - and indeed global - approach has been adopted." All the offenders posted on the site have been convicted of a child sex offence and have finished serving their sentence.

They are being hunted because they have failed to register their details on the Sex Offenders Register and have disappeared, an action which in itself is a criminal offence.

Mr Gamble said the failure to register could indicate there was a risk they might reoffend.

"This is not something the CEOP Centre is prepared to accept," he said. "If you are a convicted offender and think you can escape your notification requirements, or think you can move out of your region and go missing, then think again." The CEOP site (www.ceop.gov.uk/wanted) has been developed on the same lines as the successful Crimestoppers Most Wanted site which attracts nearly three million hits a month and has led to 24 arrests since its inception last year.

So far details of five missing offenders have been placed on the CEOP site.

People who spot one of the men are instructed to immediately inform the police with Mr Gamble warning that any vigilante action would be "robustly" dealt with.