Campaign bids to cut cyber-bullying; CONFERENCE: Broadcast to all schools offers advice on a growing problem.

Byline: Tony Collins

MORE than half of pupils in the West Midlands have been bullied online or via their mobile phones, according to a survey aimed at tackling cyber-bullies.

The focus of this week's Anti-Bullying Week is on the growing problem of cyber-bullying, with tormentors using increasingly high-tech methods to harass victims through abusive texts, emails and social networking sites such as Facebook.

According to the cyber survey by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, 53 per cent of mobile phone users said they had received a message containing unpleasant name calling.

At the same time, the preliminary findings from more than 2,000 young people in the West Midlands revealed that 30 per cent had received a text or email containing threats and 28 per cent had been sent a message containing unwanted sexual suggestions, jokes or threats. Birmingham City Council is now planning to beat the cyber-bullies at their own game by using modern technology to fight back.

It staged a virtual reality conference at Birmingham North East City Learning Centre, in Thornbury Road, Perry Barr, on Monday, broadcast online to every school in the city, offering advice.

Tony Howell, Birmingham's strategic director for children, young people and families, said: "Cyberbullying is a relatively new form of bullying but anecdotally we know it is on the increase."

CAPTION(S):

Beating bullies: Tony Howell.