The charity Beatbullying has carried out research into the prevalence of cyberbullying, finding that one in 10 teachers have experienced the phenomenon.

Conducted in association with heads’ union the NAHT, the research concluded that the pattern of bullying was different for pupils and teachers.

Bullying was more prevalent among young people - 28 per cent of 11 to 16-year-olds have been deliberately targeted, threatened or humiliated by an individual or a group, with around 23 per cent of then saying that the bullying lasted a year or more.

Nearly all teachers said that their experience arose out of an incident at school. The consequences can be severe, the study found, with 3 per cent of affected teachers resigning.

10% of teachers have been harassed online.

48% have seen harassment happen to colleagues.