People ought to look to the internet and the things it can bring to education, according to a leading national charity.

Tim Linehan, the director of campaigns and media at the Children's Society, said that the tool should be weighed up but not written off.

He stated: "What's important is that we open our eyes to opportunities of the web and what it offers children and it's completely counterproductive and wrong to say that this is a bad thing that we need to control."

Despite this, children should balance computer work with consistent exercise, as using a PC is a sedentary activity.

However, the mental stimulation promotes good health for the brain, so a balance must be struck to ensure that young people get the best of both worlds.

According to recent research carried out by Cyber Sentinel, the average teenager spends an average of 31 hours on the internet each week.