BEHIND the stunning success of Mersey beauty queen Danielle Lloyd
lies the misery of years of bullying.
Today the reigning Miss England, from Aigburth, gave her full
backing to the ECHO's Bully Busting campaign and revealed she too
has suffered at the hands of jealous classmates.
In Danielle's case it was her looks that made her the target, when
she began to pick up modelling work even in her primary school
years.
Today she said: "I was picked on so much that unlike most people I
can't look back on anybody as an old school friend.
"When I left school I had to start all over again in building
friendships."
For that reason Danielle (right)
today urged anybody who is suffering at the hands of bullies to
pick up the phone and use the ECHO's free and confidential
helpline.
The Bully Busters line was launched last Wednesday by the ECHO, the
Merseyside TUC, the Safer Mersey Partnership, and backed by all the
region's local education authorities.
Expert staff from Mersey Solutions have already handled dozens of
calls.
Ten cases are now the subject of follow-up investigations and two
have been handed over as official referrals to the education
authorities.
Danielle, 20, who will represent the country at the Miss World
contest in China next December, said: "Well done to the ECHO and
everybody involved for setting up Bully Busters.
"There was nothing like it on Merseyside when I was a child - I had
nowhere to turn. I want every child who suffers at the hands of
bullies to know that they are not alone, and with the help of the
Bully Busters things will get better."
Danielle's ordeal began at primary school and followed into her
teenage years at her all-girl secondary school.
Although Danielle has now had the last laugh - using her looks to
create a massively successful modelling career - she still bears
the scars of her childhood trauma.
She said: "When I was at school I was too frightened to speak to
anyone about the problems."
And, as in so many cases, it was not physical, but constant,
hurtful, verbal abuse.
"But it doesn't have to be like that, things can be changed. Anyone
who feels that they are trapped, the way I was, should just pick up
the phone and call the Bully Busters."
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