Children's charity the NSPCC is urging Gordon Brown to use his first 100 days as prime minister to tackle violence against children.

A survey by the charity suggests violence is a "major problem for young people" aged 11 to 16 years old.

Forty-two per cent of children had been hit, punched or kicked at secondary school, the study has found.

Three-quarters had been bullied at school, while one in four had seen adults in the family being violent.

In addition, the survey shows that large number of youngsters in the UK were witnesses to violence, with 59 per cent saying they had seen violence or bullying between young people on the street.

Of the 1,172 boys and girls asked by GfK NOP about violence in their lives, 81 per cent said violence was "a major problem for young people nowadays".

The problem has left them fearful, the research found, with 22 per cent frightened of violence towards them at school and 38 per cent "really scared" of attacks against them by young people they did not know.

Less than half - 44 per cent - of those questioned thought there was enough support for them to deal with violence and 28 per cent said they would like specialist anti-bullying counsellors and school lessons on how to stay safe.

One in six young people said they took no action the last time they saw something violent or abusive happening on the street or at school - because they did not know what to do.

Only one in four believe young people know how to protect themselves.