Miss Bimbo game attracts girls as young as nine

A new internet game where participants play 'bimbos' is attracting girls as young as nine years old. The Miss Bimbo game allows players to control a virtual woman who must compete in beauty contests in order to earn 'bimbo' dollars for purchasing lingerie and outfits for clubbing.

Obtaining more dollars is also possible by sending text messages costing £1.50 each, or by using Paypal. Amongst other activities, the virtual woman can undergo crash dieting and plastic surgery in order to become 'the coolest, richest and most famous bimbo in the world'.

Nick Williams, from Shrewsbury, was first made aware of the game when he spotted his daughters Katie, 9, and Sarah, 14, playing on it. Mr Williams said, "I noticed them looking at possible breast operations and face lifts. These are not things they should be encouraged to aspire to." Mr Williams also touched upon the worrying financial aspect, adding, "I was also concerned at them running up huge phone bills."

The French creator of Miss Bimbo, Nicolas Jacquart, 23, defended the game insisting that it was "harmless fun" and that it is "structured in such a way that it simply mirrors real life in a tongue-in-cheek way. It is not a bad influence for young children. They learn to take care of their bimbos. The missions and goals for the bimbos are morally sound and teach children about the real world.

"If they eat too much chocolate in the game, it is bad for their bimbos' bodies and their happiness levels compared to if they eat fruit and vegetables, which reinforces positive healthy eating messages. "The breast operations are just one part of the game and we are not encouraging young girls to have them."

Bill Hibberd, of parent's group Parentkind, disagrees with the harmlessness of the game, saying, "The danger is that a nine year old fails to appreciate the irony and sees the bimbo as a cool role model. Then the game becomes a hazard and a menace."