Bullying remains one of the thorniest problems facing young people today, and many a child's school days are ruined because of the torture inflicted upon them by individuals or gangs of bullies.

The image of the hefty bully standing at the school gates demanding lunch-money, while that probably still occurs, is no longer representative of the problem today.

Alongside physical abuse, the major weapon in the bully's armoury is often emotional or psychological torment.

And we too often see the results when bullying ends in tragedy - a child goes missing, self-harms, or even takes their own life.

We have all been told at some point in our lives that bullies are essentially cowards and that the only way to deal with them is to stand up to them.

Not every young person who is on the receiving end of bullying feels able to do this, especially if their tormentors number more than one.

The message from the various experts who are organising events in the Bradford district as part of Anti-Bullying Week, which starts today, is that the first thing anyone who is being bullied should do is tell someone else.

A problem shared is a problem halved, after all, and the many agencies in the district who are switched on to this problem know how to deal with bullying sensitively and effectively.

No-one needs to feel alone and isolated, and very often the simple act of taking the first step and just speaking to a friend or relative can begin to make the situation immeasurably better.