STUDENTS at a secondary school who are bullied by a controlling partner are being told, 'You don't have to tolerate it'.

Posters have been put up on the inside of student, staff and visitor loo doors at Heathfield Community School to heighten awareness of how easy it is to slip into a bad relationship.

The initiative comes from Soroptimist International of Taunton in partnership with staff and the Student Voice at the Monkton Heathfield school.

Soroptomist's Rhona Gillmore said: "Every day some young people are coerced, bullied and controlled by their partners - the very people who are supposed to love them the most.

"Feeling trapped, isolated from friends and helpless to do anything, they just put up with it, thinking such behaviour is the 'norm'."

Staff and students liaised with soroptimists on the design and content of the poster, which contains details of contacts concerned students can contact to talk over any concerns - the school's own helpline SHARP, the national Childline helpline and the hashtag #lovedontfeelbad Once the Heathfield pilot has been evaluated, Soroptimist International organisers hope to roll it out to schools and places where young people congregate across Somerset and eventually the whole country.