The sister of a schoolgirl who took a fatal overdose because she was being bullied has called for the government to make bullying a crime.

Megan Gillan was 15 and a pupil at Macclesfield High School when she was found dead in her bedroom by her parents at Flying Fields Drive in January last year. An inquest recorded it as an accidental death.

Megan’s parents, Mark and Margaret Gillan, called for social networking sites to be monitored when the inquest into Megan’s death heard she took painkillers to kill herself after classmates waged a hate campaign against her on Bebo.

Megan’s oldest sister Hayley Heffernan, 31, became an ambassador for bullying charity Beatbullying which wants a bill to protect children and teachers at school or online. Hayley, a travel agent, is due to hand over a petition with 700,000 signatures to deputy prime minister Nick Clegg today.

It is part of an internet protest – the first of its kind – to ask the government to make bullying a criminal offence.

Hayley said: "There needs to be a change in the law – both online and in schools

Schools have to have a bullying policy but they should be made to use it so bullies pay for their actions. Schools choose not to act because it looks bad. Megan’s high school didn’t handle it properly."

Beatbullying’s The Big March is the world’s first virtual protest for children’s rights and started on Monday to mark Anti-Bullying Week.

The 750,000 ‘virtual demonstrators’ includes Archbishop Desmond Tutu, teachers, more than 100 parliamentarians and thousands of children.

A Cheshire East Council spokesman said: "Megan’s death shocked and saddened the whole school. She was a bubbly and intelligent young person with a bright future.

"Social networking sites cannot be accessed from school computers.

"Macclesfield High School has a robust anti-bullying policy which is annually reviewed.

Following Megan’s death the headteacher and governing body examined the policy and were satisfied."

n Youth centre Just Drop-In and anti-bullying champion Jade Prest teamed up to run three Macclesfield events, including a road trip to Macclesfield College where Jade studied.

A window display at 14 Duke Street where people can get advice was also produced.

Visit cybermentors.org.uk or beatbullying.org/bigmarch