"Some people say this is what living in a free society is all about But it has gone too far.". Afterwards the girls were too terrified to tell their parents, many of whom actually delivered and collected them from their "modelling" assignments.The Eger case has highlighted the current laxity of Hungary's laws on pornography. Whereas in most west European countries possession of child pornography alone is an offence, Hungarian law does not even criminalise its production. And while the main suspect in the case may well be charged with sexually abusing juveniles, it will be because he actually participated in some of the films, not because he made them."The law as it stands does not offer enough protection for juveniles," concedes Mr Nagy.

"It is dangerous and should be amended."For others, too, the Eger case has been the last straw. But the shadow cast by the industry across society as a whole is becoming darker and more corrosive.Signs that its tentacles are beginning to draw in children came to light last month when police in the northern town of Eger revealed that dozens of girls aged between 10 and 15 had been ensnared by a local porn pedlar with strong links to paedophile rings in western Europe and America.According to Istvan Nagy, the head of Eger's criminal investigation unit, the victims were all lured by advertisements promising them fame and fortune as models and were then gradually talked into posing nude and participating in sex acts. With more than 100 porn films being produced every year, the country is already responsible for more than 10 per cent of Europe's total output. "Good locations, good prices, beautiful girls: there is nowhere else in the world which offers such a good all-round package."A big attraction that Mr Romagnoli singularly fails to mention, however, is the looseness of Hungarian legal restrictions on pornography. Last year a castle was used as the backdrop for an erotic version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."You can set your films here in almost any period you like," enthuses Mr Romagnoli. "Sometimes you do not even get a choice of whether your partner is human."Poor pay and conditions, physical abuse and an ever-present risk of contracting Aids are just some of the less savoury aspects of life for many entering the porn film business.Apart from a cheap and plentiful supply of women, western producers like Mr Romagnoli have been attracted to Hungary because of its well-established film industry, and the opportunities to film in exotic locations.