Under the catchy headline “Boy Bullied On Hate Website”, the following comes from the Mirror’s Richard Smith.

A heartbroken schoolboy told last night of the misery he endured as cruel yobs taunted and insulted him on a vile website.

The website was set up by two pupils who had been picking on the 12-year-old for almost a year.

They put pictures of him in school uniform on it along with a series of bizarre claims and hurtful jibes – including the repeated accusation that he was gay. The website also included a section where visitors could post their own foul-mouthed insults about the lad.

One callous visitor even wrote: “A cool hate website.”

One bully used the site to offer a £5 prize to anyone who stole the boy’s school diary.

The site included one entire section that gave lists of the victim’s bogus likes and dislikes.

The likes included: “Gays, boys’ legs, gingers, people who he fancies.”

The dislikes were listed as: “Everyone who’s not gay, the peeps who made this site, anyone who’s not in the YMCA.”

Another bizarre area was dedicated to the bleach that the lad was falsely said to use to colour his hair.

One bully wrote: “He uses his own brand. It’s called Gays R U. It’s on da market now in all good gay stores!”

The spiteful rant went on to list a series of likely side-effects from using the bleach, including: “Gayness, drowsy fatness, freckles, face deformities, squeeky voice, etc.”

It does seem tragic that in an age when the internet can be harnessed for so much good, callous individuals insist on using it to foster intolerance.