Bullying charity facing axe

An award-winning anti-bullying charity is set to close by 1 September unless it can raise £50,000.

Bullying UK, which won the The Pride of Britain Award in 2005, is asking members of the public and businesses to help raise the cash so it can continue providing help, advice and support to more than 500,000 young people and their families each year through its email helpline.

Over the past 12 years, the charity's small team of one staff member and four volunteers have worked on a shoestring budget, using new technology to raise awareness and provide advice to children, their parents and schools.

Chief executive officer and founder John Carnell said: "We have recently been refused central government funding, even though our service provides a lifeline to suicidal young people and distressed parents every single day. All we need to fund the service for a year is 50,000."