THE popular view is that there should be full public access to the sex offenders' register, and it is very hard to argue that parents do not have the right to know if a paedophile is living in their street.

But whatever legal changes are made in the wake of the Sarah Payne tragedy, they will not, and cannot, include uncontrolled access to the names and whereabouts of child sex offenders.

Home Secretary David Blunkett insists that Sarah's legacy will be a safer world for children, with paedophiles serving longer behind bars and he must be as good as his word.

As we said following the conviction of Roy Whiting last week, the root of the scandal was the flaw in the legal system, which saw her killer released too early from a previous conviction.

The Government knows that the public demand is for tougher, indefinite sentences for paedophiles. That must be delivered.

But ministers also know that opening up the sex offenders' register to a free-for-all would drive paedophiles underground and out of control.

The bottom line is that children would be more unsafe and that is impossible to condone no matter how voracious the public appetite.

The News of the World was, however, completely justified yesterday in naming four paedophiles who have failed to sign on the sex offenders' register and whose whereabouts are therefore unknown.

Convicted paedophiles who are given their freedom must know that if they do not follow the rules aimed at keeping them in check, they must risk the consequences of newspapers publishing their photographs and warning the public of the danger they pose.

Like the News of the World, The Northern Echo would not hesitate to play a part in naming and shaming sex offenders who go "underground".

Mr Blunkett is due to meet Sarah Payne's parents Sara and Michael tomorrow to discuss their campaign for a so-called Sarah's Law.

This brave and dignified couple deserve to know that the Government will act swiftly to minimise the threat of paedophiles.

And that means keeping them locked up while there is any doubt whatsoever that they could reoffend.