REVEALED: The shock rise of teen sexting

And alarmingly, they’re feeling more pressure than ever to send graphic pictures to each other.

New research shows an estimated 44,000 secondary school pupils have been caught sexting - and more than a third of them are aged just 12 and 13.

Shockingly, there have even been reports of children aged seven sending graphic pictures.

Psychotherapist Steve Pope says: “We’re living in an age where communicating over phones plays a huge part in relationships amongst young people, and sending sexual pictures has become an extension of this.

"But sexting can make young people targets for cyber bullies and even predators online if their pictures get into the wrong hands."

One girl who knows the devastating consequences of sexting is Claire*.

She was just 14 when she felt pressurized into sending sexual images to her boyfriend.

Claire, now 17, who is studying health and social care, says: “I trusted my boyfriend so I didn’t think twice about sending revealing photos of myself in underwear, but the picture ended up on a classroom board at school and I was devastated.

“I thought sexting was grown up, but it made my life hell.”

To read the rest of this story, pick up Closer magazine, out today.