Facebook, Twitter and Ask.fm are amongst the social networking sites being urged to tackle the growing problem of online abuse following a spate of high profile cyber bullying incidents.

This follows a survey published by campaign group Bullies Out which indicates that 50 per cent of those asked had been the victims of cyber bullies, with some victims being as young as seven years old.

A number of cases have made the headlines in recent months including that of Sonia Oatley, who fell victim to online abuse after mounting a campaign for her murdered 15 year old daughter Rebecca Aylward two years ago.

Speaking to ITV’s Wales This Week, Oatley said: “It was very offensive language and another person called me pathetic and you know, another one then he said your daughter is better off dead, you know that kind of thing and just very offensive and very upsetting.“