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THE parents of a Macclesfield schoolgirl who died of an overdose after she received hate messages on the internet have backed a Websafe campaign launched this week by MEN Media.

Since 15-year-old Megan Gillan’s body was found by her dad, Mark, at their home in January this year, cyber bullying has been a central issue surrounding the tragedy.

And now Mark and wife Margaret say social networking sites like Facebook and Bebo should be banned.

Shortly before she died, messages targeting the Macclesfield schoolgirl’s clothes and appearance had been posted by classmates on the social networking site Bebo.

Margaret, 55, said: "I do believe these sites should go. I don’t think people who own these sites have control."

According to her parents, Megan was like any 15-year-old – she loved shopping, the cinema and spending time with mates. Both Margaret and Mark believe their "beautiful" and "bright" daughter was intimidated by cyber bullies.

Margaret said: "You wouldn’t think she’d be the kind of person who could let it get to her. She was never off the computer and was always laughing on MSN talking to her mates."

A survey carried out by Real Radio, reveals two thirds of 11 to 15-year-olds have internet access in their bedrooms.

Megan’s dad Mark was shocked by the figures. The Gillans’ computer was in the family’s dining room when Megan was alive. "After Megan died it worried me when the police told me about Bebo. I thought: `Why haven’t I heard about it? We didn’t see any sign of Megan being bullied on the internet," Mark, 54, said.

Now Mark’s advice to parents with teenage children is to get real and be aware.

"The computer in the bedroom is a recipe for disaster," said Mark. "I think you need to talk to young kids more and don’t let them be isolated at home on their computer. Sites should be monitored more strictly than they are. If everyone is aware and everyone gets on board then something can be done." An inquest in July recorded the cause of Megan’s death as accidental.


* MEN Media is running a hard-hitting campaign to keep children safe from online predators. The campaign is being backed by victim’s champion Sara Payne whose daughter Sarah, eight, was murdered by a convicted sex offender. For more about Websafe, tune into Real Radio all this week or watch special reports on Channel M .