YOUNGSTERS who made a song and dance out of tackling bullying have won a regional competition.

Pupils from Bishop Barrington School in Bishop Auckland competed in the North-East Regional Anti-Bullying Song Competition on Monday, the beginning of anti-bullying week, along with 14 other schools from the region.

Philip Sutton, Adrian Parker, Lyndsey Potter and Jade Patterson performed an original song called You Think It's Cool at the event, held at The Sage in Gateshead.

The competition was judged by Anthony Hutton, winner of Big Brother 2005.

The pupils got to meet him and won £100, music books and CDs.

The song was written by 15-year-old Philip - or Big P to give him his stage name - who performed a rap alongside Adrian, also 15, who performed as X-Tr3me. Jade, who only stepped in after another pupil fell ill, and Lyndsey, both 14, sang backing vocals.

Philip said: "When I heard about the competition, I thought 'go on then, I'll have a go.' So I sat down and wrote the music and then thought about how bullies think it is cool, so I wrote You Think It's Cool."

Adrian, meanwhile, only recently returned to school after suffering from bullying, and said that although it has now improved, it made the lyrics he sang all the more poignant.

Head of music at the school, Lisa Bain, said: "The competition was tough and we were up against some A-level students. So we are very pleased and they have done extremely well."