STUDENTS have been pressing the red button during the national Anti-Bullying Week as schools across St Helens bid to beat bullying.

The ‘red button’ is a person – perhaps a friend, staff member, relation, youth worker or social worker – they can alert to bullying.

The notion for the initiative came from young people themselves, as Julie Dunning, from the Healthy Schools scheme, explained: “This stemmed from a recent school debate.

“Tackling bullying behaviour is something children feel strongly about and they pushed for this idea from the outset.”

Every school in St Helens has been invited to enter a competition to design a brand for the year-long red button initiative, with the winner to be picked soon.