Friends of Laura said she had suffered bullying in the past

South Wales Police said the officer in charge of the session did not realise the local sensitivity to her death when he visited a school in Cardiff.

Pictures of young people who had killed themselves after being bullied were taken off a website, of which Laura's was one.

Police said they accepted it was "inappropriate".

Laura, 13, is believed to have killed herself after suffering a "nightmare" from school bullies.

Chief Superintendent Neil Kinrade, project leader on the South Wales Police schools core programme, said: "As a priority have met with Laura's family to explain the use on this occasion, of the photograph."

However, the parent of one pupil said: "My daughter was upset when she was told the schoolchildren in the pictures are all dead.

"It certainly made a big impact on her and she said it made her think about the tragic consequences of bullying.

Laura (left) died from an overdose, but her friend, Rebecca Ling, recovered

"I just feel it is sad that schools and police have to use these shock tactics to get the message across."

But Chief Supt Kinrade said: "We do not consider this to be 'shock tactics' as described in the press, but a positive and impactive way of raising the awareness of young, everyday people facing the agony of bullying."

Laura died from a suspected overdose in September after writing a heartbreaking letter about the effects of bullying.

'Children aware'

In her letter of despair Laura told how school bullies made her feel "ugly and worthless".

She and her friend, Rebecca Ling, apparently made a suicide pact. They both took an overdose, but Rebecca was saved after hospital treatment.

The photos were not meant to shock anyone, but were used as a means of starting the discussion among the children Insp Phil Osborne

A class of 12 and 13-year-olds at Cardiff High School were among the first to be given the photographs in the lesson about bullying.

Community police officer Pc Sarah Evans handed out the photos of the four teenagers before a discussion on the problems of bullying.

Chief Supt Kinrade said: "The session has received considerable support from the head teacher and staff at the Cardiff school, together with positive feedback from the pupils."

"Unfortunately, one of the photographs, which were all taken from a public website on bullying by the officer leading the session, was of Laura Rhodes.

"This officer would not have been aware of the local sensitivities in relation to Laura's death and the ongoing enquiry into the circumstances surrounding it."

Chief Supt Kinrade added: "Laura's photograph will no longer be used in such sessions.

The campaign is part of a trial project by school community police officers to make children aware of the dangers facing them.

They include drug and alcohol misuse, bullying, prejudice, anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse.

Seventy community police officers from all four Welsh police forces will regularly visit secondary and junior schools to spread the message.

Inspector Phil Osborne, project manager in south Wales, said school bullying was "at the very top" of policing priorities.

"The photos were not meant to shock anyone, but were used as a means of starting the discussion among the children," he explained.