MY friend Dale Winton and I would like to thank Lancashire Evening Telegraph readers who so generously took part in the BT Friends and Family Chosen Charities campaign, which invited friends and family subscribers to forego their discounts, which were then matched by BT and divided equally between five charities.

ChildLine was one of the benefiting charities, and we have just received an amazing £240,000 -- which will help us to answer many more calls from frightened, despairing and distressed children.

The tragic fact is that although ChildLine saves children's lives and protects them from abuse and neglect, many children cannot get through to us -- simply because we lack the funds to answer their calls. Friendship is something we at ChildLine hear a lot about -- more than 10,000 children called Childline last year because they were seriously worried about a friend. It is now the fifth most common reason for young people to call Childline (the third for girls).

Calls include concerns that the friend is being physically or sexually abused at home, is being bullied, may be pregnant or is suffering an eating disorder.

This has prompted ChildLine to produce two leaflets -- one for children, looking at many aspects of friendship, good and bad, and giving tips on what to do if your friend is unhappy or tells you a worrying secret.

A leaflet for adults looks at how parents can help their children to be a good friend and what to do if your child tells you something that indicates that a friend may be at risk or in serious trouble.

The leaflets are available from ChildLine's website at www.childline.org.uk, or by sending an SAE to ChildLine, Freepost 1111, London N1 0BR.

ESTHER RANTZEN, chairman of ChildLine.