 Bullying is a blight on the lives of thousands of schoolchildren |
A mobile phone service which enables bullied children to discreetly contact their parents is being launched. The Pingalert can be activated by pressing a speed dial button on a child's handset, which can be kept hidden from view.
It sends a text message to the parent's phone with a location description and picture message map where possible.
The service, launched by company Mtrack, aims to help children out of difficult situations.
The service locates the sender's phone to within 500 yards in built-up areas and sends the message to the parent's phone within 60 seconds.
Michele Elliott, director of children's charity Kidscape, said: "Pingalert provides a great tool in the war against bullying.
"Now kids can alert their parents that they're in trouble without having to call or text them."
The service can be accessed online and costs the sender's phone 50p per alert, plus the cost of the call, which takes between three and five seconds.
Mtrack also provides a service called KidsOK, which allows parents to trace their child by locating their mobile phone.
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