A gay rights campaigner has renewed his calls for Surrey’s schools to include homophobic issues in their anti-bullying policies.

Gino Meriano, chairman of Gay Surrey, sent letters to every school in Surrey in 2007 asking them to consider making changes. None replied, he claimed.

The charity now plans to launch a new campaign.

However, Surrey Council said its bullying policy, issued in 2008, also covers homophobic bullying.

A Surrey County Council spokesman said: "The council issued detailed guidance to all its schools in 2008. The guidance gives generic advice on all types of bullying and homophobic bullying is included in the section on groups of young people at risk.

"The council advises all schools to develop a detailed policy covering all anti-bullying issues."

Mr Meriano declined to give details of Gay Surrey's new campaign. He said: “We are laying down the preliminary work now and seeking funds to launch the campaign. This is a huge issue that needs to be dealt with.”

In a recent online lifestyle survey carried out by Gay Surrey, it was revealed that 38 per cent of the young people taking part had been bullied because of their sexuality but only 14 per cent reported it.

Besides being bullied because of their own sexuality, some children are also being picked on because their parents are homosexual.

“The scenarios are unfortunately many, and we have heard countless reports from adults who have suffered as children, basically because of inadequate school management,” said a Gay Surrey spokesman.

Its 2007 project, Don’t Segregate Educate, aimed to find out if schools had adequate anti-bullying measures in place and help them tackle any teasing related to sexuality.

“Homophobia exists in schools, colleges and universities. Bullying causes permanent damage to young people and blights the schools and colleges where it takes place,” said Mr Meriano.