TWO victims of bullying have shared their stories in a bid to encourage youngsters suffering to get help.

They spoke out as part of the NSPCC and Childline's Anti-Bullying Week.

It follows the charity revealing that in 2017 its support service has delivered nearly 20,000 counselling sessions about this subject. And the majority were with children aged from 12 to 15 years old.

Kristo, who lives in Wiltshire, was a victim of an unprovoked attack in January 2018, after he was lured outside by a girl he had met and spoken to online.

The attackers filmed the assault and posted it on Snapchat, where it went viral.

Kristo, who suffered injuries to his head, face and eardrum, has decided to speak out against bullying by talking about what happened to him, how he felt at the time and how he coped with the bullying.

He also wanted share advice for other young people who may be experiencing something similar.

Kristo told Childline, he felt very lucky to have had the support of his father throughout his ordeal but was very keen to raise awareness of the support line so that no young person is left feeling like they have nobody to talk to.

The second Wiltshire case is Ashley, who was born with a rare genetic condition called Treacher Collins syndrome, characterised by deformities of the bones and tissues of the face.

When he started primary school near his home, two boys started calling him names, and the abuse gradually got worse – Ashley was afraid of speaking out, fearing retaliation.

After an incident that almost cost him his life, he opened up to his mum, who alerted his headmaster.

While the bullying came to an end, Ashley says he still faces stares and comments from members of the public.

Now a support worker helping people with learning disabilities, Ashley is speaking out against bullying, particularly those bullied because they suffer facial disfigurement.

For a long time Ashley was unable to talk to anyone about what happened to him and wants to encourage young people to call Childline if they feel they have nowhere else to turn.

Wendy Robinson is service manager at Childline, which is supported by the NSPCC.

She said: “Every year thousands of young people receive counselling from us having suffered bullying and cyberbullying.

“These experiences can have a devastating impact on their lives, potentially leading to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and in the very worst cases, suicide.

“Whether it’s happening online or in the real world it is vitally important that any young person who is experiencing bullying talks to someone they trust, be it a friend, parent, teacher or a Childline counsellor.

“We also hope that Anti-Bullying Week, which ran last week, encouraged young people to remember how their actions and words can impact other children and teenagers."