SCHOOLCHILDREN across the country are being subjected to physical and mental bullying in the classroom and teachers are ignoring youngsters' torment.

A shocking new report "Why Me?" published by ChildLine reveals bullying is rife in all parts of the country and action is needed to tackle it.

One 10-year-old boy who rang the charity help-line said he was bullied both inside and outside school and as a result had black eyes, sprained ankles and kicked shins. He did tell his headteacher but the teacher did nothing about it, because, the boy thought "He was scared of the bully's parents". Two young boys who rang the line were found by their parents trying to hang themselves because bullies were making their lives a misery.

In 1993 a 14-year-old pupil at Lowton High School attempted to take her own life by swallowing painkillers. Her father claimed she had been the victim of a "reign of terror" which had finally destroyed her will to live.

The report says teenage girls particularly complain of mental torment which leads to severe mood swings and a very real fear of school.

The report is based on what more than 2,200 children, some parents and teachers told ChildLine.

Boys are often the victims of physical assaults by their peers. Most assaults are committed outside school but secondary age pupils complain of physical attacks in the classroom too.

All schools are urged to tackle bullying, particularly those which refuse to acknowledge that there is a problem. But there's praise for schools which have anti bullying policies in place. One such school locally is Withins School which in 1993 drew up its own policy to tackle the problem of bullying.

In 1995 Bolton Council received a cash boost from the Government to launch a unique initiative aimed at reducing the incidence of bullying across the borough.

The "Bullybusters" project organised by the council together with voluntary and other organisations, is aimed at reducing bullying and the fear of bullying by training young people in "behaviour management" and "peer mediation".

ChildLine Chief Executive Valerie Howarth, said: "Children want a fuss made - they want bullying stopped."

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