HOPES are high that a “significant step” has been taken in the Spanish baby trafficking scandal as MEPs return from a fact-finding mission.

North-East MEP Jude Kirton-Darling was among a delegation who visited Spain this week in a bid to get relevant authorities to open up about the scandal of the country’s ‘niños robados’ - stolen children.

It is thought that thousands of babies were snatched from hospitals and children’s homes in Spain over several decades, starting in the 1930s under the dictator General Francisco Franco.

It is alleged that doctors, criminal gangs and members of the Catholic Church colluded in the practice whereby babies were stolen and sold on.

Ms Kirton-Darling, a member of the European Parliament Petitions Committee, was inspired to take up the cause by North Yorkshire mum Ruth Appleby who believes her newborn daughter Rebecca was snatched from a Spanish hospital in 1992.

Upon her return from Spain this week, Ms Kirton-Darling said the meetings had been a success and hoped they will shed further light on the plight of babies such as Rebecca.

She said: “Over the course of an intense two days, the European Parliament’s Petitions Committee delegation had a series of meetings with the Spanish authorities, including the Ministry for Justice, Public Prosecutor and MPs.

“We also met leaders from the Spanish Catholic Church and received assurances that they would be working more closely with the authorities to make records available to Ruth Anne Appleby and the other petitioners.

“The presence of MEPs in Madrid has brought a great deal of attention to this terrible scandal and I hope it means that a significant step has been taken towards helping the victims find answers once and for all.”

Ms Appleby, who now lives in Colburn near Richmond, became suspicious over her daughter’s ‘death’ when remains brought back to the UK for reburial in 2010 appeared to be those of an older toddler.

A horrified Ms Appleby then learned more about the baby trafficking scandal and realised that Rebecca may have been one of the thousands stolen and trafficked.

Ms Appleby, who also made the trip to Spain this week, said she felt the meetings went better than she could have hoped for.

She added: “It was really positive and I think that we have certainly made quite a lot of progress and I feel like the fact-finding delegation is right behind us and will follow things up.”