Childline hears from one child a minute

ALMOST one child a minute called, texted or emailed Childline for support on Christmas Day.

The ISPCC said 1,384 youngsters looked for help — a 38% rise from last Christmas — with many experiencing family difficulties and loneliness.

National Childline manager Margie Roe said for most children, Christmas is a time to have fun and be around family, but for many others it can be a time of fear, stress and trauma, with alcohol abuse having a huge negative impact.