A FREE internet beginners session is being held in Swindon to help people who have never logged on before.

And parents can do more to help children who are confused about the dangers posed by going online, according to UK online centres.

Recent research has found that some children believe using the internet puts them at risk of catching HIV or even being abducted by aliens. Others think it can put them at risk from bomb-making, blackmail, asylum seekers and blindness.

UK online centres spokesperson Colin Middlemiss said: "While children are using the internet more and more frequently, the latest figures show that some 38 per cent of adults have never accessed the web.

"Some visitors to UK online centres have initially betrayed a similar belief in some of these urban myths about internet usage. Parents might be better placed to educate their kids about the benefits of getting online if if they had first-hand experience of what is out there."

To help parents tackle the problem, UK online centres the government-funded network of 6,000 internet cafes is launching a free Internet Beginners Session for first-time surfers in Swindon.

The sessions provide all the skills parents need to understand the web.

To find your nearest UK online centre and book a session, call free on 0800 77 1234.