IT is appalling when a youngster is bullied so badly by fellow pupils that she attempts suicide. Not only is it a matter of over-riding concern to all parents, but it reflects badly on the community as a whole that a child cannot continue his or her schooling without being frightened.

Yet, the facts of how a 15-years-old Bolton girl came to take a near-fatal overdose are starting to sound sadly familiar. A group of girl bullies (young females are now overtaking males in their brutality) so terrorised the quiet teenager that she tried to kill herself rather than face them daily.

Most people are quick to blame the school and say more should have been done to stop the bullying. And this could well be true. But, on current resources, it is increasingly difficult to "police" the very large schools that most areas like ours now boast. The school concerned points out that the few cases discovered there have been fully investigated, and appropriate action taken. It is fair to point out that this establishment does have a positive reputation for support and care of its pupils.

However, as cases elsewhere around the country have demonstrated, now that decisions on individual pupils have been largely taken out of the hands of teachers, exclusion of children is rare. And disruptive children themselves have rights, so what do we realistically do with them?

Of course parents should check their own children at home, teaching them early to respect and value others. Of course teachers should be able to spot the signs of regular bullying.

But this is increasingly a matter the Government should be addressing in schools, and the only hope is that they will act before any more youngsters are driven to take their own ultimate solution.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.