Bullied by

Text: 16% Web: 7% E-mail: 4%

Of the 856 people aged between 11 and 19 asked, 16% had received bullying or threatening text messages, 7% had been harassed in internet chatrooms and 4% by e-mail.

NCH cited one 15-year-old boy who had given his mobile number to a friend in a football chatroom. After they fell out, he received text messages threatening to find out where he lived, beat him up and even kill him.

Eventually his mobile provider allowed him to change his number, and the threats stopped.

Death threats

The associate director of NCH's children technology unit, John Carr, told BBC News Online most text bullying was by schoolmates.

One child at a west London school outlined the kind of threatening messages that circulated, saying: "I'm going to kill you, watch your step, don't look back, don't look at me doing this during classes... I'm outside your house, I'm going to burn your house down."

NCH tips for victims

Be careful who you give your mobile or e-mail address to Tell an adult you trust what is happening Change your number/e-mail address if there is a problem Write down times and dates you receive upsetting messages Report them to a trusted adult or the police

Mr Carr called on schools to upgrade and amend existing bullying policies to ensure they covered the new digital tactics.

Many schools have banned mobiles from their premises, because of problems such as bullying and theft - but Mr Carr said this was not enough.

"Teachers should make it clear that harassing people through text message or the internet, even if it's outside school hours or outside the gates, is still a serious matter that will be dealt with."

Liz Carnell, director of Bullying Online, agreed that parents and teachers should do more to address the problem.

She said her charity had started receiving complaints about text bullying shortly after Christmas 2000, when many teenagers received mobiles as presents.

'Extremely distressing'

Eventually it received so many complaints of "death threats and hate messages" that it set up a web page dedicated solely to mobile bullying.

"It's extremely distressing and some children have become suicidal over it."

NCH safe surfing tips

Never give out personal information like your home address Do not post a picture of yourself Never meet a key-pal in the real world without a trusted adult Report any upsetting messages Leave a chat room the moment anything worries you

As for the children being bullied, both Mr Carr and Ms Carnell said they should alert a "trusted adult" as soon as possible.

Of those who told NCH they had been bullied, a third had told no one, while almost half of those who did speak out told only their friends.

Mr Carr said after telling a trusted adult, children should make a note of the time and date of each message received.

They should alert their mobile or internet account provider, who may change their e-mail address or phone number for free.

If the messages do not stop, both experts said, victims should not be afraid to go to the police.

'Extremely invasive'

Carrie Herbert, from the Red Balloon School, which specialises in dealing with bullied children, said electronic bullying was even more intrusive than the more conventional kind.

"Children who are being bullied in the classroom and in the playground can at least get some kind of sanctuary at home.

"With this kind of bullying, the text messaging can come up while you are watching television, while you are having a family meal.

"It is extremely invasive."