A SENIOR police officer in York has urged residents to be on the look out for signs of cyber bullying.

Superintendent Adam Thomson, neighbourhood policing commander for York and Selby, said the rise in online bullying was "inevitable", and abused by "nasty and twisted people of all ages".

Supt Thomson said the potential damage caused by old fashioned poison pen letters had grown infinitely with the rise of Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and other platforms, and physical or verbal bullying at school was no longer confined to the playground.

He said: "In short, cyber bullying can happen to any of us. It is very hurtful and distressing and must be taken seriously by all concerned. Some forms of cyber bullying are criminal offences, such as harassment or threats. These should be reported directly to the police on 101 and the offender will be dealt with accordingly.

"If you feel you are being cyber bullied, it is important to take the first step by letting someone else know. Please do not suffer in silence. If you’re a young person you should speak to a trusted adult, ideally a parent or a teacher. Many older people might not understand how your social networks and apps actually work, so try to explain clearly what is happening and how it is affecting you."

Supt Thomson said the anonymity of the internet meant bullies felt safer in their insulting behaviour, but it was important to remember that even if bullying did not break the law, it should still be reported.

He said: "On these occasions, the police are not necessarily the most appropriate agency or people to seek help from. Schools play a key role in this area and vital support is available from the Government website ‘Get Safe Online’ and the NSPCC.

"Remember, you don’t have to accept cyber bullying. If someone online becomes hostile or provocative, the best advice is to stop interacting with that person. Just log-off or move to a friendlier part of the internet. You should block people who harass or abuse you. If someone treats you this way online, make sure you take a screen shot or a copy of what has been said. Social networks have policies about dealing with inappropriate messages and issues should be reported directly to them."

Supt Thomson said parents or carers who did not feel comfortable with technology and who were worried about online safety could still play an important role in keeping their loved ones safe.

He said: "A simple and effective way to do this is to ask your home internet provider to set up the parental controls for you – you are paying for the service so get your money’s worth. The same goes for any smartphone contracts that you are paying for on behalf of a child.

"Let young people know that cyber bullying is not something that they should have to put up with. Ensure that the safety advice is being followed as far as possible and please do not hesitate to take action if things turn nasty."

For more information go to northyorkshire.police.uk/staying-safe/safer-online, nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse or cyberaware.gov.uk