School bullies could be caught and prosecuted using private detectives.

Parents could hire the undercover investigators as a last resort.

They would collect evidence such as emails and text messages and even get bullied children to wear a "wire" to record abuse by their tormentors.

The service has been launched by Hove-based specialist medical consultants Commonsense Associates.

Founder Melanie Gill, a child forensic psychologist, said such measures would be used if all other mediation had failed.

She said: "Let's not call it bullying. Let's call it what it really is - harassment, GBH, stalking.

"There are children committing suicide and being physically and mentally assaulted on a daily basis. The damage done to them and to the bully themselves is just astonishing.

"This is about managing the situation and stopping the bully. If necessary we will wire the child up to bring it to an end.

"There are a lot of agencies working very hard to stop bullying but unfortunately they can't cover everybody and quite often it's very frustrating for parents to try and get things done."

Ms Gill said private investigators would only be used if problems remained after all parties, including the bully and their family, the school and police, had been spoken to.

She said the agency would help the bullied child and the bully and was keen to work with the Anti-Bullying Alliance and other agencies.

Family worker Lydia Bowles, senior general practice nurse Angela Walters, coaching psychologist Paul Stavrakis and legal advisors complete the team.

They are initially offering their services to private clients but hope to receive Government funding and ultimately help clients referred by their GP.

Prices for the private service start from £25 for an advice phone call. An anti-bullying package, including a comprehensive assessment of the child and therapy sessions with a psychologist and confidence specialist, will be offered for about £500.

The company, based at Sussex Medical Chambers, Hove, also offers parenting classes and help with psychological problems such as depression and self-harm.

It is the first of its kind outside London offering mainly early intervention and prevention methods to stop youths becoming badly behaved or committing crime.

Staff will liaise closely with a charity-run day centre in London which aims to rehabilitate vulnerable and damaged children. They hope to open a similar centre in Brighton eventually.

Ms Gill said she was compelled to help children and families after spending time as a receptionist in Park Crescent Surgery in Lewes Road, Brighton.

She said: "I am passionate about alleviating children's distress. I was bullied and suffered in silence, then I became a bully and I regret that so much.

"Seeing the numbers of children in distress and hearing more stories of children behaving badly, which comes from distress, galvanised me into action."

She said many problems were caused by lack of nurture and attention but could be put right. She said: "Children are not evil. They are born with a blank template. Nurture can overcome."

Commonsense Associates will advise a Government think tank on problems facing inner-cities headed by Iain Duncan Smith, called Centre For Social Justice.

Angela Page, who owns Brighton's Pepperpot Nurseries, will work with the company on parenting issues.

She said: "What they are doing is brilliant. There's been an increase in children with challenging behaviour. Parents are overwhelmed and over-worked. The existing agencies are doing a good job but there are still gaps in the service."