MARTIAL art instructors at Darwen School of Kung Fu aim to stamp out bullying by building confidence among their younger members.

As a campaign against bullying sweeps across the country, organisers of the school, based at Sudellside Community Centre, are taking the anti-bullying message very seriously.

Younger members are doing character-building exercises to improve their self-esteem and are being taught about bullying and associated problems. Higher-grade children are also being taught about energy use and redirection.

Senior instructor Ray Heeks, himself a victim of bullying as a child, is keen to make it work. He said: "Children need to learn about bullying and how to react when someone picks on them. They need to know how important it is to speak to someone about it so the problem is more likely to be resolved.

"A lot of these children look like victims because of their body language and slight build, so it's important for them to build their confidence which makes them look stronger. I started martial arts for the self-defence but also because I needed to build myself up. I was always a poorly child and because of that I was bullied because I looked weak.

"During our classes I tell them about my experiences but we also give them a chance to share their feelings so they are not bottling it up. They also learn about the situation from the bully's point of view and what they are going through and we explain that they are probably not a particularly happy person to be doing it.

"A lot of schools teach the defence angle about putting up your guard and fighting back, but we try to teach the non-violence angle and that no one wins in a fight. We teach them to put space between themselves and the bully. The more space they put between themselves and the attacker, the more time there is to react."

Earlier this week, 55 children attending the school received their new belts and certificates, and a children's party and awards night is planned for December 16.

The school meets on Mondays and Thursdays and new members of all ages are welcome.

For more information about the classes, contact Ray on 01254 583767.