A scheme that empowers children as young as five to stay safe from abuse is looking for more volunteers.

The NSPCC's Speak Out Stay Safe programme reached over 8,000 pupils in schools across Suffolk last year.

The initiative offers age-appropriate assemblies for Reception and Year 1 pupils as well as more in-depth interactive talks and workshops with older students.

Primary school children are taught about different forms of child abuse such as neglect, bullying and physical and sexual abuse and encouraged to speak out about any worries they have with the help of mascot Buddy.

And last week, the NSPCC's Katy Cole visited Grove Primary School in Carlton Colville, and is recruiting volunteers to visit schools in Lowestoft, Southwold and across Waveney and east Suffolk.

Ms Cole said: 'It is vital that young people know the trusted adults they can talk to and through this programme we can help protect a generation of children.

'Our team does a fantastic job in creating a fun atmosphere to educate young people, but in order to reach our goal of visiting every school in Suffolk we simply need more volunteers.'

In some cases, the assemblies have resulted in children reporting abuse, leading to offenders being prosecuted and convicted of their crimes.

Many of the free assemblies and workshops are delivered by volunteers who make up a vital part of the charity's aim to visit every primary school in the UK once every two years.

Volunteers will be given extensive training about the NSPCC's work and the different forms of abuse children suffer. To apply visit www.nspcc.org.uk.