A PLAY by a 12-year-old schoolgirl warning about the potential dangers of social networking is touring schools across the region.

'Michaela's Mistake' written by Chelsey Cleminson - a pupil from Newcastle's Excelsior Academy - tells the story of a girl who becomes the victim of a social networking attack. She is lured to the home of a man with ill intentions who has portrayed himself as someone he is not.

Her script shows the shocking risks that some young people take online, making them vulnerable to adult exploitation. Chelsey, now 14, wrote the play two years ago.

She worked with drama workers to develop her play as part of Live Theatre's 'Write Stuff' education project.

Paul James, director of education at Live Theatre said: "Michaela's Mistake is a fantastic piece of writing by Chelsea Cleminson when she was 12.

"The piece was first shown as part of Live Theatre's Write Stuff initiative and has been developed and extended for a schools tour across the region. The content will support work going on around online protection."

Gateshead-born actress and writer Tracy Whitwell helped turn the ten minute original into a 40 minute production.

This is now touring schools in County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle and Sunderland.

"The best part of the process for me has been the moment I watched my words being acted on stage," said Chelsey.

In 2009, 17 year old Ashleigh Hall, from Darlington, was murdered by convicted sex offender Peter Chapman after he groomed her on Facebook posing as a 19 year old.

The murder led The Northern Echo to set up the Safety Net campaign, with the support of Ashleigh's family, which was successful in calling for internet safety to be taught in the classroom.