A regional daily has taken a new step forward in its bid to make the internet a safer place for teenagers.

The Northern Echo launched its “Safety Net” campaign after the tragic death of Darlington College student Ashleigh Hall whose body was discovered in a ditch last in October.

As reported last month, ministers have already announced that every child over the age of five will be taught about internet safety as a compulsory element of the school curriculum in response to the campaign.

Now the paper has paid for 15,000 cards containing vital advice about keeping safe on the internet to be given to every child in Darlington.

Printed on the cards are Ashleigh’s Rules – five guidelines for internet safety devised by students at Darlington College, where the 17-year-old was studying childcare.

The first batch of cards were delivered last Thurdsay and it is hoped they may eventually be distributed nationally.

Echo editor Peter Barron said: “We were determined that something positive should come out of this terrible tragedy, and the Safety Net campaign has produced some very positive results.

“The production of the Ashleigh’s Rules cards for young people is another step towards highlighting internet dangers.”

Darlington College principal Tim Grant added: “This is a good example of how young people have brought a positive out of a terrible tragedy.

“We have ambitions to take the cards further and possibly make them available to principals in schools and colleges up and down the country.”

Ashleigh, who was studying childcare at the college, was found dead in a field outside Sedgefield, County Durham, in October, the day after leaving her home to meet someone she met through a social networking site.

Peter Chapman 33, has denied the murder, rape and kidnapping of Ashleigh. He is due to stand trial at Teesside Crown Court in March.