LANCASHIRE schools have hit back at claims that pupils are turning a blind eye to bullying.

The assurances comes on the back of new research which shows that over half of the UK's seven to 18-year-olds had seen another young person being bullied during the past year.

But, according to the survey, fewer than one in three actually told anyone about it.

The findings have been released by the national Anti-Bullying Alliance, which surveyed 1,143 pupils - including children in Lancashire - to coincide with Anti-Bullying week, which began yesterday.

The survey found 38per cent of those polled did not attempt to get help and 14per cent said they stayed silent as they did not want to be a "snitch".

But headteachers across the county insist they are tacking bullying head on and have measures in place to actively encourage children to shop the culprits.

They include Gill Ackroyd, headteacher at Salterforth Primary School, Barnoldswick, who said there were number of tools used to get the message across to her 91 pupils.

She said: "We do a host of things such as special assemblies discussing how bullies can make you feel and make sure pupils feel OK to tell if they witness it.

"For Anti-Bullying Week Year 5 and 6 are coming up with a rap where they will chant why it is important to speak out and posters are in all the classrooms.

"Schools across Lancashire County Council, including ours, have a buddy system where pupils can go to designated pupils to discuss any problems and we have also adopted worry boxes where pupils can post any problems they are having including if they are worried that they are somebody is being bullied."

The region's high schools insist they are also tackling the menace.

They include Blakewater College, Blackburn, where students have split into groups to discuss the role of bystanders in reporting bullying and pupils are urged to come up with anti- bullying code for the school.

School business manager Phil Deakin said: "I am surprised by the survey findings - our pupils know to report bullying and know that the school views pupils who turned a blind eye almost as bad as the bully."

And Lavinia Lancashire, deputy head at St Christopher's CE High School, Accrington, said the school had a raft of measures in place, ranging from employing a full-time mentor who discusses problems and is a permanent shoulder to cry on for the 950 pupils, to asking 14 older children to welcome and monitor new starters.

She said: "Our children know to report bullying and our measures are designed so all children leave the school at the end of the day feeling comfortable and can grow in their own time in their own way."