This week the Evening News highlighted the plight of Emma Smith, a 13-year-old who kept a diary of her life at the hands of bullies at a city school.

Yesterday, we told how a 12-year-old was attacked and knocked unconscious by a gang of boys at school.

Since then, we have been inundated with telephone calls and e-mails telling similar stories. Today's Talkback highlights just some of the incidents that have left a number of Worcestershire children dreading school.

STORY 1

"When I started middle school I had the same problem as Emma - I was in the class with a girl who was well-known as a bully, and I got bullied for four years.

"It was both verbal and physical until one day, in Year 7, I decided to hit her back.

"The police had already been involved when things became physical as all the headteacher had said to my parents was that they were over protective of me.

"When I hit this girl back the police came to my house to give me a warning.

"It seemed to quieten down and then, one day, I was in the Lido Park, in Droitwich, and she assaulted me.

"I was slapped, strangled and punched and my brother and little cousin were there and saw everything that went on.

"This happened in September and by October I was on anti-depressants and had been referred to a psychiatric nurse at Worcester's Newtown Hospital.

"By February I had tried to kill myself four times and I was then referred to a mentor who I saw every week.

"I had help from my family and my mentor, who was great, but no one else seemed to care. Now I am getting over my ordeal as I have left school and don't see this girl often, but it still hurts to think about it.

"I am a stronger person for what has happened to me and will argue back if people have a go at me - in a way I have the bully to thank for that.

"I am going to Worcester College of Technology in September to study health and social care as I now want to help people who have experienced the same problems as I did.

"The most important thing is having someone there to listen to you, who understands you.

"I'd say the best thing if you're a victim of bullying is don't hide away. Talk to friends and go out - don't let it ruin your school life like it did mine."

STORY 2

A SIXTY-year-old former bus driver retold some of events he has witnessed first-hand.

"I was bullied for a short time at school

and as an adult I really hate it whenever I see anyone bullying another person.

"But the problem has escalated and children aren't just getting called names at schools anymore.

"They are scared of reprisals if they say anything and half the people who live near schools don't complain because of what the kids will do to their property.

"I have driven a bus since I was 21 and I've seen children frightened to death on the way to and from school each day. My heart goes out to them each morning when I see them.

"Recently I saw about 20 children chasing one boy in Worcester and when I turned the corner they had surrounded

him. I got out and gave the lad a lift, but it happens too often.

"I have three children and six grandchildren and there are certain schools that I just won't have them going to because I have seen what the kids there are like.

"Their health has to come first and if they were being bullied I would rather take them out of the school and have them happy, than force them to go and have an educated but terrified child.

"When you hear stories on the news about children committing suicide because they have been bullied so much you know that something is very wrong."

STORY 3

THE mother of a 12-year-old, who attends a Worcester high school, has reached the end of her tether.

"MY daughter has been forced out of her lessons in tears because the bullying has become so bad at her school.

"She is in classes with the boys who hit and bully her and she just doesn't want to go anymore. She has told the teachers but they say they can't prove which pupils are doing it.

"And the bullies have said that if she tells the teacher who they are they will throw her in the canal.

"There is always the idea that she could change school but why should my daughter move just because of other people misbehaving?

"At 8.30am the schools have to look after the children and the way things are my child is not safe.

"I know teachers can't watch everyone all of the time but they have to admit that bullying is a problem - at the moment they won't."

STORY 4

A MALVERN mother recounted the experiences of her daughter.

"MY 13-year-old daughter has been bullied for some time by a 16-year-old at her school, and it's breaking her heart.

"She is scared of going each morning and she has come home with great big, black bruises on her cheek where she has been hit.

"I'm sick to death of going down to speak to the school every time it happens but she has already had her finger broken and I'm terrified there's going to be an even more serious accident.

"She has become a bag of nerves and her education is really suffering. I thought that school life was supposed to be hard work but great fun.

"My daughter's life is being made a misery."