Local musicians were given the chance to showpiece their talents in a busy sopping centre to help promote an anti-bullying campaign.

Three Harrow youngsters organised the event at the St Anne's and St George Shopping Centres on Sunday to help give teenagers more information on who they can turn to if they are being bullied.

Six local bands, MCs and singers performed, whilst younger children had their faces painted and volunteers handed out information about bullying.

Lee Woolhead, 16, one of the organisers of the event, said: “We have had a lot of interest in what's going on today. We made up 2,000 information packs, and gave away about 1,800.

“If we can help just one person to either help someone else it would be a success, as it can really spiral from there.

“I think the fact we're young people organising this for other young people means it attracts a lot more attention, and I think will have more impact.”

The trio are members of Soul Survivors, a church group aimed at helping young people find moral guidance on their lives.

Lee, a Whitmore High School pupil, continued: “I had experienced bullying when I was younger, and it's definitely important to help people try and get over it.

“The information and support people available is getting better, but we still need events like this to generate interest and understanding.”

Dimple Patel, a children's workers for Victim Support, said the organisation was branching out to help people effected by bullying.

She said: “Quite often we see problems with bullying turn into violence and crime.

“What we are trying to do now is get out and help youngsters when this happens. Sometimes that means me going and talking to the perpetrator and trying to get to the bottom of it.

“In one case I spoke to a girl who had assaulted another one, and it turned out she and her friend had been bullied for a year by this other girl, and this was the result of it.

“What we can do is sit down with people and their parents and teachers and try to work out solutions, and help give them the tools they need to stand up to bullies.”

James Shanrahan, a 14-year-old pupil at the Salvatorian School, was handing out information to young shoppers.

He said: “Teenagers find it hard to ask for help, and if you are being bullied you do not always know where to go.

“Luckily I haven't had friends who have experienced bullying, but it is a problem in schools, and so anything which can help to stop it is good to know.”