It is claimed that boredom in the playground can lead to bullying

Learning Through Landscapes, a school grounds charity, believes boredom is behind the bullying.

A quarter of UK children say they have been bullied but that rises to 47% in Wales, according to the study by The Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest.

It has led to calls for better playgrounds to help combat the problem.

As part of the banks' research, a selection of primary school children and parents - 1,146 aged between six and 11 and 1,102 parents - across the UK were surveyed.

The results underline the concerns of Learning Through Landscapes, a charity which helps schools make the most of their outdoor spaces for play and learning.

'Stimulating play'

Previous research conducted by the charity found that schools which improved their outdoor play spaces saw a 64% reduction in bullying and a 73 % improvement in children's attitudes towards learning.

The charity's chief executive Catherine Andrews said: "Children often engage with bullying or engage in negative behaviour because they are bored.

"A proven solution is to engage them in more stimulating play. Whilst it is said that children will play anywhere, the quality of the experience is undoubtedly related to the quality of the environment."