A quarter of girls in Irish primary schools have been attacked by bullies in the previous three months.

But a study by Trinity College, Dublin, has revealed that boys are more likely to be the targets of violence with a third being kicked or hit over the same time period.

More than 5,500 children were surveyed and a quarter of older pupils said they had been the victim of lies or had rumours spread about them. Many of the targets of bullying were too afraid to report incidents to their parents.

John Carnell, Bullying UK CEO, said that parents who found their primary school age children were being bullied needed to contact their child's teacher immediately.

"Many instances can be nipped in the bud before they get out of hand," he said. "But if the class teacher isn't able to resolve the problem then parents need to make a written complaint to the head teacher."

We're here 24/7, 365 days a year to help with bullying. Please click here to make a small donation to help us to help the families who rely on our advice and support.

The Pride of Britain Award-winning national children's charity Bullying UK is facing closure by September 1, 2010 unless it can raise £50,000 to allow it to continue providing help, advice and support to more than 500,000 young people and their families a year through its unique helpline and online services.

Over the last 12 years, the small team of one staff member and four volunteers have worked on a shoestring budget, using cutting edge technology to raise awareness and provide high quality advice to children, their parents and schools.

“In past years the charity has relied on the help of businesses across the UK to support our work in the absence of any government grants, but the financial crisis means it has been difficult to source corporate help," said CEO and founder John Carnell.

"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. We must be one of the most cost effective children's charities in the UK."

"If Bullying UK shuts down, the government will need to provide two fully trained civil servants 24/7, 365 days a year, with an expertise to advise not only on complex education complaints, special needs and school appeal tribunals but to deal with suicidal children, school refusers, children suffering psychological problems and parents involved with social services and the police.

"We are asking people and businesses across the UK to please help us, so when the new school term starts Bullying UK will be here to support every family desperate for help. Donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/SaveBullyingUK . Corporate support is particularly welcome."

Over the last 12 years volunteers for the charity, formerly called Bullying Online, have replied to more than 64,000 emails, and they supply 150,000+ leaflets to schools and youth organisations every year.

The charity has a particular expertise in dealing with cyber bullying issues, which currently make up more than 20% of the emails it receives.

"In addition to our web service through the Bullying UK website at www.bullying.co.uk we provide an iphone application and mobile website at m.bullying.co.uk so that families have our advice in their hands to access when they need it most." said John.

Families who have accessed our help are speaking out to praise the essential support we have given them.:

"At a time when we were at a loss to know the best thing to do for our child, Bullying UK were able to help us giving direction and doing so helpfully and quickly” - Graham

“We have received tremendous help over the past few years. Bullying UK has been incredibly supportive and given a huge amount of useful information and consideration to our personal plight” - Debbie

"Bullying UK gave immediate most needed emotional support by replying promptly to my email” - Bernadette

“Bullying UK provided empathy and understanding but above all else the advice gave me the direction and control to approach the school in the most appropriate way and take the relevant steps to resolve the situation” - Sarah

Bullying UK has won many awards for our low cost, high impact work including: The Daily Mirror Pride of Britain award in 2005 for our advice service; The TalkTalk Innovation award for our digital anti-bullying Poster Creator; The BT Seen & Heard Award - for our music, art, video and verse project, The Zone; The Big Issue Big Difference Award for our advice service; The BT National eWell Being Award for our advice service; We have been finalists in the Guardian Charity Awards (three times) and finalist in the government's National eCommerce Awards (twice).

A family who were sent abusive messages on the internet after their teenage son killed himself are calling for a new law to make such messages illegal.

Facebook tributes poured in for 15-year-old Tom Mullaney after he committed suicide in May. His friends said that he had been bullied at school in Birmingham.

A tribute site set up on Facebook was targeted with unpleasant and abusive messages and Tom's mum Tracy is calling for action to be taken to outlaw such comments which caused the family huge distress.

Bullying UK CEO John Carnell said that it was already against the law to use the phone system, which included the internet, to cause alarm or distress and that it could also be harassment which was a criminal offence.

"Something like one in five complaints we get are about cyberbullying and most of them are about Facebook so it's time the firm made it much easier to remove abuse. The police should also be prosecuting the culprits as that would send a message to other people that they couldn't get away with their disgusting behaviour."

Bullying UK is running out of funding so please help us to help children and their families by making a donation through our secure Justgiving page. Thanks.