PUPILS from around the region have been marking the end of national Anti-Bullying Week.

Some schools formed a circle of unity to show how pupils are battling against classroom bullies following a week of lesson-based activities

About 300 youngsters from Northfield School, Stockton, and Priors Mill Primary School, Billingham, formed a chain of hands to symbolise that if they work together they can beat the bullies.

Balloons were then released with personal anti-bullying messages from children.

Anna Michele Hantler, anti- bullying officer for Stockton Borough Council, said: "An anxious child is unlikely to do as well as they could in school, therefore we are committed to stopping it before it can start, and the aim of this week is to raise awareness to this important issue."

Meanwhile, youngsters in Shildon, County Durham, showed their commitment to the anti-bullying campaign with projects and workshops held throughout the week.

Children at Thornhill and St John's Primary schools in the town swapped their uniforms yesterday for blue clothing.

Sally Clough, headteacher at Thornhill Primary, said: "It has been absolutely fantastic. The children are now very clear about what to do if they are being bullied and they have come up with lots of ideas themselves about what we should do as a school to stop bullying.''

Pupils from Framwellgate Primary School, in County Durham, also supported the campaign.

Children from Whinfield Primary School, in Darlington, stood hand-in-hand to form four concentric circles in the playground yesterday.

More than 500 pupils wore blue, as opposed to their normal school colour of red, to symbolise the colour of anti-bullying wristbands.

Once they were all in place, the whole school said, "together we can stop bullying", four times. Headteacher Sheila Williams said: "We felt that ending the week with everyone in our school community joining hands was a powerful way of demonstrating that we believe at Whinfield Primary together, we can do it."

A website with details of how to tackle bullying and other information is available on www.anti-bullyingalliance.or