Six people arrested by police as part of an operation that smashed an alleged pornography ring in Yorkshire were today released on police bail.

Videos, computer equipment and documents, all alleged to contain pornographic material, were seized from five addresses in the region.

Police said today the six people arrested had been released on police bail until September.

Two more people, from the Wetherby area, were expected to come forward voluntarily this afternoon, and a further two people are also expected to be arrested. More than 1,000 videos have been seized.

The arrests follow four months of investigations masterminded by officers from the Malton police division into what police described today as a pornography mail-order business.

Det Sgt Ian Fieldsend, of Malton CID, said: "It is a countrywide operation in as much as they advertise in the national press and then people send in for a catalogue and mail order whatever they want."

Police from North Yorkshire and Humberside joined forces with obscene publications officers from Greater Manchester and North Yorkshire County Council's trading standards department to track down suspected pornographers.

"We have taken major suppliers and dealers in pornography out of the game," said Detective Inspector Dick Hewison, of Malton CID.

"Our information suggests that this team was producing 1,500 pornographic videos a month, each retailing for £25."

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the material seized was believed to contain explicit images - but not child pornography.

Four men and two women were arrested in the raids yesterday morning, which took place in North, West and East Yorkshire.

Computers and documents were seized by Malton police from a house in Kirkbymoorside.

A 36-year-old man was arrested at a farm at Warter, near Pocklington, and taken to Beverley police station for questioning.

A house in Market Weighton was raided and a 38-year-old man arrested. He was also being questioned at Beverley.

A farm near Wetherby was raided by North Yorkshire officers and a man aged 63, a woman aged 55 and a younger man and woman were arrested. A total of 40 video recorders and a number of videotapes were seized.

Hundreds of videotapes were found by police officers at a house at Collingham, near Wetherby.

Police said inquiries were continuing.

Det Insp Hewison said: "This operation will continue, but I am confident we have broken the back of an unpleasant and odious organisation."

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