Childline Christmas calls up by 50 per cent

A helpline for children has said that they have received a significant increase in calls this Christmas compared to last year.

Childline received 397 calls on Christmas Day. The helpline has stated that this is a 50% increase on last year, Christmas Day 2001.

Many issues prompted the children to make the calls, including physical and sexual abuse, pregnancy, depression, loneliness and suicide threats.

In addition, officials with Childline maintain that over the last five years there have been large increases in calls due to alcohol related incidents.