A FAMILY of redheads who say they have been hounded from three homes claim they were advised by a council to dye their children's hair to avoid further abuse.

Redhead Kevin Chapman said that four of his ginger-haired children have been bullied and that one was driven to the brink of suicide.

Newcastle City Council has denied that its officer suggested the children dye their hair.

The hate campaign against the family has forced them to move three times across the city but at each new place they have had windows smashed, graffiti sprayed on walls and the children have been attacked.

Mr Chapman, 49, who is separated from wife Barbara, said the abuse became so bad that his 11-year-old son, also called Kevin, tried to kill himself and is now educated at home.

He said that daughter Ryelle, ten, and sons Daniel, ten, and Jordon, 13, have all been badly affected as well.

Mr Chapman said the family moved from Walker to Newbiggin Hall to try to escape the prejudice, but were forced to move again to Kenton Bar a year ago.

He said "I went to the council and complained because wherever we go, we get called 'the ginger mob' or something like that, and families seem to recognise us wherever we move.

"I was shocked when the council recommended that I dyed the kids' hair before we moved to the new area.

"It's unbeliveable. You can't change the way you look and, anyway, people could tell from the eyebrows."

Ryelle said: "Every time we make new friends, we end up just getting bullied, and it happens every time we leave the house."

The couple have nine children, and older siblings Diane, 23, and Richard 18, also have ginger hair.

Police said that a number of incidents had been reported at the family's Kenton address since December 2005.

A spokesman for Newcastle City Council said: "We are currently discussing their situation with him (Mr Chapman)."

However, he denied that an official had advised Mr Chapman to dye his children's hair.

He said: "What actually happened is that he suggested to one of our people that he was going to dye it, and they said 'you could always do that', but it was never a suggestion.

"It was in response to his suggestion."