The Northern Echo has a proud history of finding positive outcomes out of terrible tragedy.

When Princess Diana died in 1997, we used the wave of emotion to campaign to raise enough money to finish the building of a children's hospice in the North-East. The Butterwick Children's Hospice is now doing wonderful work at Stockton.

When Northern Echo photographer Ian Weir died aged 38 ten years ago, we successully campaigned to reduce heart bypass waiting times in Britain, dragging them in line with the rest of Europe.

Today, The Northern Echo reports the success of its "Safety Net" campaign, launched after the terrible tragedy which struck 17-year-old Darlington student Ashleigh Hall.

Ashleigh was killed after meeting a man via the internet.

The Safety Net campaign's central aim was to establish internet safety as part of the national curriculum.

Schools minister Ed Balls, writing in today's Echo, has announced that every child over the age of five will be taught internet safety as part of the national curriculum. That is very good news.

It is also worth underlining the proactive approach taken to this issue by Darlington Borough Council following the Ashleigh tragedy.

The authority, led by councillors Jenny Chapman and Cyndi Hughes, reacted swiftly and their reward is a safer digital environment for children.

It is my hope that Ashleigh's family find some comfort in the progress that has been made in their daughter's memory.