Victims of forced marriage in Bradford will now be able to pick up the phone and talk to someone who has escaped the nightmare.

The Government today announced the £30,000 support network has been developed in conjunction with Derby-based anti-forced marriage organisation Karma Nirvana.

Women will be able to call the emergency line 24 hours a day for advice and the support network will act as a buddying system with an allocated person for callers if they so wish.

A spokesman for the Government's Forced Marriage Unit said this would allow women and young girls to be sent birthday and Christmas cards and meet up with someone who has experienced a forced marriage.

She added: "Many of the girls and women are disowned by their families and left without anyone. This would give them support from someone who has been through it. All the volunteers will be trained in mentoring and listening skills and paired up with someone who they can help."

A handbook for survivors was also published which offers advice on how a person fleeing the marriage can change their identity, how to claim benefits, find work and get NHS healthcare.

Home Office minister Baroness Scotland, who last year shelved plans to make forced marriage a criminal offence, said: "Forced marriage is terrible for those who find themselves in an often violent and abusive situation against their will.

"It's something that should not be happening in the modern world - it's not a respected cultural or religious tradition.

"Neither does it have anything to do with honour - there can be no honour in a marriage based on force and hostility."

On Thursday a bill which could anyone who attempts to force someone to marry thrown in jail will be debated.

In January the House of Lords voted to introduce new legislation through The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Bill to give legal rights to victims of forced marriage.

The Bill would see women or a third party able to apply for an injunction in the civil courts to stop them being forced to marry. And as a last resort they could go to court to claim compensation for damages and injuries suffered.

But the Government wants to give more power to the courts to support victims and anyone breaching the terms of an injunction against them could face jail.

Despite a breach not being a criminal offence - it would be classed as contempt of court - which can result in a prison sentence.

Keighley Labour MP Ann Cryer, who has been campaigning against forced marriages for years, said: "I welcome anything that can be done to help these girls. It is really difficult for people outside of the loop to understand what goes on.

"It needs a higher profile."

President of the Pakistan Society of West Yorkshire Rashid Awan said: "Ann Cryer's work is tremendously impressive. She has been pursuing this for a long time. She has dealt with animosity and people have disrespected her but she has carried on.

"Marriage is a lifetime commitment and people should not be forced into it.

I want to commend Ann Cryer for her splendid work - God bless her."