France, May 22 -- Police in France have uncovered a vast child abuse network operating through encrypted chats on Telegram, leading to the arrest of 55 men across 42 departments.

The arrests, made between Monday and Thursday morning, follow a 10-month investigation led by Ofmin, France's specialised child protection unit.

The suspects - aged 25 to 75 - come from a wide range of backgrounds. They include a priest, a grandfather, a music teacher, a paramedic and others described as "good family men".Some victims under 10

All were linked to convicted paedophiles already in prison since last summer.

"These men aren't just faceless names on a screen," said Commissioner Quentin Bevan, who leads Ofmin's operational unit.

"They are people wh...