Cher Lloyd calls on Government to stop cyber bullies

The 18-year-old singer, who has been a victim of online verbal abuse since appearing on the UK talent competition, says not enough is being done on social networks to protect young people from malicious comments.

Lloyd told BBC Newsbeat: 'It disgusts me that online bullying – nobody really cares about it. No one has made a big enough impact to stop these people. I would definitely like to see more done about it.'

When asked who she thinks should help young people tackle the issue, she said: 'I kind of think it's the Government.'

Her comments come after one Twitter user threatened her mother with violence in a tweet last week.

She said: 'It's one thing writing to me. I'm getting stronger with this stuff, I can take it on the chin, but there are girls out there and boys out there that can't take that.

'It's funny to say, how do you cope with it? Because I don't cope with it. It's really hard.'

She added: 'If I get a nasty tweet, or if someone shouts at me in the street that's really disrespectful to me or my family, I just kind of wait until I go home. You shut the door and then you can have a cry about it. No one needs to know.'