​Police experts on internet bullying have re-iterated “golden rules” to help children deal with online issues.

Following an inquest into the death of teenager Holly Grogan, Sergeant John Skilling, Gloucestershire Constabulary’s schools unit manager, said he recommended youngsters stick to four golden rules on the web.

The inquest was told that Holly, 15, from Longlevens, took her own life after she was tormented by what other youngsters said about her online.

“If you would not tell a stranger, don’t post it online, is the first golden rule,” said Sgt Skilling.

“If you would not do it in the real world, don’t post it online, don’t agree to meet online friends in the real world, and if someone is abusive to you online, tell someone about it.

“A lot of victims tend to think it’s their fault, it isn’t.”

Holly died in September when she fell from the Pirton Lane bridge onto the A40 Golden Valley bypass.

On Thursday the inquest into her death heard how she experienced relationship problems with her peer group - with one friend telling the coroner she believed Holly was being bullied.

St Edward’s head teacher Dr Andrew Nash told the inquest social networking site Facebook was something the school worried about because was outside their control.

He said: “We know that in the evening pupils can go home and write something on it.”

But he said though Holly had difficulties in her relationships, the school could not see evidence of bullying.

Sgt Skilling, whose team has spoken to more than 34,000 county children since April last year, said schools were able act in cases of online bullying.

“Under the Education Inspection Act 2006, head teachers can regulate pupils on the internet if it affects a relationship in school,” said Sgt Skilling, who added that police could use existing powers such as the Telecommunications Act to deal with online bullying.

He said cyber bullying was one of four areas of online concern for young people, along with sexual exploitation, commercial exploitation, and exposure to extremist material.

“Because they are children, they sometimes don’t have the emotional response to deal with it,” said Sgt Skilling.

“Children tend to want to be part of something and bullying online can be direct, or indirect, such as being ignored - it’s similar to not being invited to a party.”

One thing parents should not do, he said, was control internet access for their children.

“Rather than try to ban them, it’s better to work with them and make sure they are in a safe place on the internet,” he said.

“If you ban them, they could go behind your back and then they may have no one to turn to if they get in to trouble.”