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A dangerous craze where children are filmed being attacked by other kids at school could lead to a child being killed.

That’s the warning from the half-brother of a 13-year-old girl who was dragged to the ground by her hair and kicked in the head by other youngsters.

The victim was just leaving for home after school when she was attacked only metres from the gates.

A video online shared by children in Rochdale before Easter shows the assault.

Online Kicks For Clicks: The Video School Bullies Terrorising Other Children For Online Notoriety   
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What looks like around two dozen other children are gathered around baying and jeering. An adult witness told Sky News there were around 40 kids present at the attack which experts say is becoming a “sickening” and “growing” trend in Britain’s schools.

The motive for the attack was quite possibly the videos themselves – a moment of notoriety on social media, creating content to be shared and laughed about in private groups on Snapchat.

A fair number of the children present had their phones out filming. Many seemed to know the ambush was coming. At least one of those filming also joined in on the assault, kicking the victim while she was on the ground.

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Even the victim had found out via social media that there was an attack planned.

It’s part of what the National Bullying Helpline told Sky News was an “escalating problem of children filming violence against other children then uploading to social media”.

Courageously, the 13-year-old girl who was pounced on just before the Easter holidays wanted to speak out about it – but we’ve agreed not to name her or show her face, even though she accepts everyone in her school knows what happened.

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Sky’s Jason Farrell spoke to the 13-year-old victim

She described how she felt afterwards. “I had a black eye. My head hurt every time I spoke. I couldn’t laugh because my head hurt. I couldn’t move my neck. My back was sore. I have a scar on my knee that they cut open.

“I don’t really like walking around now where I know people from the school are going to be, because pretty much everyone in my school knows about it. And I’m kind of glad that I don’t have a phone because I feel like I’d just be getting messaged about it all the time.”

She no longer has a phone because her attackers stamped on it.

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The girl’s half-brother, Billy, 44, says it is becoming a dangerous craze

Attacks ‘getting more vicious’

Billy, 44, the half-brother, and legal guardian of the victim says this is becoming a dangerous craze.

He told Sky News: “They pick on someone who’s normally quiet, somebody who doesn’t bother anybody, they’ll then use that person as a target to create this online content. And it’s getting more vicious as each attack comes.

“I don’t believe my sister has any long-running rivalries within the school. I believe this was created solely for the content of the internet.”

He added: “A child is going to lose their life from this craze. It’s happening all over the country.”

Christine Pratt, the founder of the National Bullying Helpline, said: “Increased calls to the National Bullying Helpline flag up this increasingly popular, but sickening, trend.

“This particular behaviour [filming abuse to upload to social media] is seen as ‘sport’ and amusement, often led by gangs and school bullies who seek power and attention. It is classic bullying.

“When it is posted ‘online’ the abuse takes a new form. The victim is further ridiculed. Once on social media, it is ‘out there’.

“We hear about this practice occurring most weeks. It is usually the parent who calls us. They often struggle to persuade a school to believe them and/or take it seriously, investigate or deal with the perpetrators.”

One head of school in a well-known private school in London recently sought advice from the helpline, after a filmed attack happened in the boy’s toilet and was observed by over 20 students.

Not one of the onlookers felt safe enough to report it at the time and it only came to light a month later. The headteacher introduced initiatives to unite the pupils and encourage ‘bystanders’ to feel comfortable enough to report future incidents.

For safeguarding reasons, we have decided not to name the school in Rochdale, near where the Easter attack happened, but parents have told Sky News there have been several similar incidents just at or near this one school.

One woman who walks past every day to collect her children from a nearby primary school said she had intervened in four similar attacks.

Another mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared with Sky News a video of her daughter being attacked in January by a group of girls on the school premises.

Prior to the attack, a phone camera is switched on and propped up, pointing in the direction of the teenager who is about to be punched. The girls can be heard plotting. “Can you see her?” “Are we doing it or not? Are we doing it outside or in here?” “Go on then, go on then.”

After a brief verbal assault from one girl, another punches her then pulls her to the ground by her hair.

Online Kicks For Clicks: The Video School Bullies Terrorising Other Children For Online Notoriety   
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Online Kicks For Clicks: The Video School Bullies Terrorising Other Children For Online Notoriety   
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Another mother at the same school, who didn’t want to be identified, told us last term her son was randomly attacked by more than a dozen children on the playing fields – and she feels the school is failing in its duty of care.

She said: “From them kids coming into them gates at 8.20, they’re there to safeguard our children and they’ve failed to do that.”

The headteacher of the school we’ve decided not to name told us: “These stories will, of course, concern families who are part of our school community. Mutual respect, positive behaviour, and high standards are central to everything we do.

“In cases where members of our school community fall short of the expectations of leadership, staff, pupils and their families, nationally guided procedures are followed.”

‘We take extremely seriously our duty of care’

The headteacher added: “The incidents referenced by Sky News are both subject to ongoing enquiries either by the school or a third party. As a result, we won’t be providing further comment on those at this time.

“We take extremely seriously our duty of care to our young people and our local community. As such, staff have a high visibility presence within the school grounds and the immediate vicinity of – before, during and after school.

“We have processes in place to ensure a robust response to disclosures made regarding the safety of students and our post-incident procedure includes the administration of first aid by trained members of staff.”

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: “We would encourage anyone who is subject to offences on social media that encourages violence against another human being, to have the confidence to report them immediately to GMP via 101 or 999 in an emergency.

“Greater Manchester Police is committed to investigating each and every complaint received of this nature and bringing the perpetrators to justice, because those who are inciting violence through the use of social media, are committing crimes.”

Sky News understands the attack on the 13-year-old is now being investigated by the police. But the National Bullying Helpline says schools and authorities are failing to keep pace with this growing UK-wide problem.

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Liverpool win Premier League title to equal Man Utd’s record

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Liverpool win Premier League title to equal Man Utd's record

Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.

Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.

It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.

However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.

Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
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Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters

Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
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Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP

Liverpool's Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
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Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA

Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
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Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP

In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.

The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.

But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.

“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”

Liverpool's Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
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Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters

Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
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Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP

Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.

He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.

Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”

Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.

Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.

Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
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Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP

Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
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Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP

Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
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Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters

Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.

It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.

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Protesters throw powder on Tower Bridge during London Marathon

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Protesters throw powder on Tower Bridge during London Marathon

Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.

The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.

A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.

The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.

Pic: LNP
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Pic: LNP

They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.

A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.

Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.

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There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.

More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.

Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.

Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.

Read more:
Sky’s Beth Rigby running marathon in honour of ‘dearest friend’
Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform

Pic: LNP
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Pic: LNP

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.

“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”

The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.

The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.

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Kemi Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform after next week’s council elections

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Kemi Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform after next week's council elections

Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out forming coalitions at a local level with Reform after the council elections next week.

Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the Conservative leader did however categorically rule out a pact with Nigel Farage’s party on a national level.

“I am not going into any coalition with Nigel Farage… read my lips,” she said.

However, she did not deny that deals could be struck with Reform at a local level, arguing that some councils might be under no overall control and in that case, “you have to do what is right for your local area”.

“You look at the moment, we are in coalition with Liberal Democrats, with independents,” she said. “We’ve been in coalition with Labour before at local government level.

“They [councillors] have to look at who the people are that they’re going into coalition with and see how they can deliver for local people.”

She added: “What I don’t want to hear is talks of stitch-ups or people planning things before the results are out. They have to do what is right for their communities.”

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A total of 23 councils are up for grabs when voters go to the polls on Thursday 1 May – mostly in places that were once deemed Tory shires, until last year’s general election.

It includes 14 county councils, all but two of which have been Conservative-controlled, as well as eight unitary authorities, all but one of which are Tory.

Ms Badenoch has set expectations low for the Tories, suggesting they could lose all the councils they are contesting.

The last time this set of councils were up for election was in 2021, when the Conservative Party was led by Boris Johnson who was riding high from the COVID vaccine bounce.

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