NAME-CALLING, ignoring, punching and even kicking are what you would normally expect in the course of bullying.

It is bad enough as it is, causing many children to become depressed.

This, in turn, can lead to suicide as their only means of escape.

But in the hi-tech world in which we now live is it any wonder that bullying has moved with the times?

Reports revealed this week that one in four teenagers are victims of text-message bullying and harassment through internet chatrooms and e-mail.

Children's charity NCH carried out a survey of 856 young people across the country and found astonishing results.

Nearly a third of these had not told anyone about the bullying until they were questioned in the poll.

The charity said it was concerned that children as young as 11 were being faced with taunts or threats.

"The more people know this happens the easier it will be for children to cope with it," the charity said.

It wants bullying policies to change with training for teachers and pupils. Parents should also be able to contact someone regarding online bullying and phone companies are being urged to take responsibility for finding effective ways to deal with it.

Dr Graeme Watts, headteacher at Elgar Technology College, says the school's peer counselling group and school council have not had any reports of text-message bullying.

"This is clearly going to be a new phenomenon," he said.

"I'll keep a wary eye on it because we try to combat all forms of bullying."

But the question is how do these bullies get their victims' telephone numbers?

Is it not a case of only giving your personal mobile number to people you trust? Just by using common sense you know not to give your number to all and sundry.

But one of the most worrying things is that children as young as 11 are being given mobile phones.

One parent told me his 12-year-old had a mobile phone purely for text-messaging and was only allowed to make calls to her parents.

I can see how he thinks it is reasonable, but cast your minds back just five years. Were mobile phones just as necessary as people seem to think they are now?

I don't know why children as young as 11 are being entrusted with phones if they give their number away to people likely to bully them.

Children are bullied over all manner of things, whether you're wearing the right trainers, have the right hairstyle, listen to the right music etc.

Having a mobile phone and then giving that number to bullies is pure and simply nave and goes to show that they are not grown up enough to have one.

Call me stuck up or simply stuck in the past, but if children could manage to get themselves out of trouble without a mobile then they can manage now.

That's what BT's chargecard numbers are for - the ability to phone home for free, with the bill picked up at the other end. Or why not do as my colleague's mum did and make sure she had 20p to make emergency phone calls.

Parents argue it's for safety's sake, but which murderer/mugger is going to give your child the chance to dial 999?