STAFF with the NSPCC's Childline say that Christmas will be no time for celebration for some Worcestershire children.

Instead, they will feel "ignored, bullied or abused", and a phone call could be a life-saver for the most desperate and alone.

New figures recently released show that in December 2013, trained volunteer counsellors at the NSPCC’s ChildLine base, in the West Midlands, carried out 1,767 counselling sessions with children and young people, from across the UK – many of whom had nowhere else to turn.

The most common reason for contacting ChildLine was low mood or self-esteem.

In the same period, 397 children and young people also contacted the West Midlands ChildLine base about family relationships and 344 counselling sessions were about bullying.

ChildLine Senior Supervisor, Theresa Wilcox said: “Like me, hundreds of ChildLine counsellors will be spending Christmas Day not with their families, but seeing the other side of the festive season.

"We’ll be talking to children and young people for whom Christmas can be a truly miserable time, listening to them, providing advice and support and being there for them when they can’t talk to anyone else about what they’re going through."

She added: “It’s no exaggeration to say that ChildLine really could be the difference between life and death for some children this Christmas."

ChildLine provides a lifeline for thousands of children at Christmas.

The free, confidential, 24-hour helpline and online service provided by the NSPCC will be open throughout the festive season for children and young people who need to talk, even on Christmas Day.

But the service needs funding and support to ensure that trained ChildLine counsellors can continue to listen and offer help, advice and support to children and young people, whatever their worry.

Text HOPE to 70744, to donate £4.