Campaigners have expressed anger that children as young as five have had their fingerprints recorded at three local primary schools.

The youngsters' prints were taken for a new system in place at the schools' libraries whereby pupils have their thumb prints scanned, instead of using a card, to take out books.

Opponents of the use of biometric records have warned that it is a massive invasion of privacy and a step towards a database state'.

Brockholes Wood Primary School, Brant Road; Longridge CE Primary, Berry Lane and Little Hoole Primary, Walmer Bridge, are currently the only schools in the area to have the Micro Librarian system installed.

Campaign David Clouter, whose 11-year-old daughter came home with details of Micro Librarian from her school, slammed the move.

"We wouldn't accept fingerprinting for adults without informed consent so it is utterly outrageous that children as young as five are being targeted," he said.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said parental consent was sought by the schools before any records were taken and the information was used solely for the issue of school books.

And headteacher Michael Collins, said parents had co-operated with the scheme. Mr Collins of Longridge CE Primary School, where the technology had been in use for several months, said: "It was never a problem and was able to help us keep accurate records of library stock and who has which book."

Cambridge-based Mr Clouter has set up a website to protest at the move.

The site, www.leavethemkidsalone.com, lists 200 schools where the system is in use and has collected an online petition of more than 1000 people opposed to the collection of fingerprints.

Mr Clouter added: "It could also be argued that this is trivialising the taking of personal biometric data and could be seen as softening up resistance before people are asked for further details such as eye-scans to put on compulsory identity cards."

Andy O'Brien, managing director of Micro Librarian Systems, the Manchester firm which produces the fingerprint systems, said that no image of a fingerprint is ever stored, and that it was not possible to recreate an image of the original scan from the data that is stored.

He said: "Ultimately, this is completely optional. If parents object because they don't like the use of biometrics their children can still use a library card or pin number.

"It is encouraging more children to borrow books, we launched this product with the hope that it could help to re-energise the school library and the indications are that it is doing just that."