CHOCOLATE company Ferrero allegedly uses children as young as 11 in its Turkish factories, according to human rights groups.

The hazelnuts used by the confectionery giant in its products, including the Ferrero Rocher line, which is popular around the world at Christmas, may have been harvested by children working in the agricultural centre.

Interviews with child workers conducted by British campaigning group WeMove Europe and the Centre for Child Rights (CCR) found some as young as 11 saying that they are forced to work for up to 12 hours a day in the Black Sea region.