A MOTHER has criticised a hard-hitting campaign by Childline which left her daughter scared and upset.An unaddressed envelope arrived on the doorstep of Kelly Sawyer's home at Kemball Street, Ipswich, with the words, 'We called but there was no answer' across the front in felt tip pen.

A MOTHER has criticised a hard-hitting campaign by Childline which left her daughter scared and upset.

An unaddressed envelope arrived on the doorstep of Kelly Sawyer's home at Kemball Street, Ipswich, with the words, 'We called but there was no answer' across the front in felt tip pen.

When Miss Sawyer, 28, who has a learning difficulty, read the letter she was left worried and confused after finding a log sheet dated April 3, listing three calls made to ChildLine.

One call log said, in black handwriting: “Father violent towards step-mother after drinking: abusive, shouting, and punching.”

Miss Sawyer's mother, Diane Sawyer, of Inverness Road, said: “Kelly is able to read a bit but she doesn't understand things.

“Obviously, she could read the front of the envelope and she naturally assumed it was for her.

“When she brought it to me and her dad we read it to her and she was terrified, especially after we explained what it was about.”

There was nothing else in the envelope explaining the document although Childline did tell Mrs Sawyer when she complained that two other letters should have been in there.

Miss Sawyer leads an independent life despite her learning difficulty and at the age of 28 has chosen to live separately to her parents, who pick her up everyday in the morning to take her to their house and drop her off in the evening.

Mrs Sawyer, said: “When I read it I immediately thought it had been put through the wrong door, but when I phoned ChildLine I was told it was a campaign they were doing.”

According to the children's charity, the letter was sent to a database of adults across the country.

NSPCC Head of Direct Donor Marketing, Marian Rose, said: “Our mailing was designed to directly communicate to adults the experiences of children and young people who contact ChildLine.

“We recognise that by definition, when we communicate with the public some people may find this upsetting.

“It is also the case that many people who receive such material agree that these issues must be raised in this way.

“The NSPCC believes that we must all play a part in ending abuse, as uncomfortable as highlighting the issue may be sometimes.

“Our communications must reflect the severity and impact of child abuse.”

n. Have you received one of the letters? Were you upset by it? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk