THE Lancashire Telegraph front page story on Thursday prompted a strong reaction online.

The story was about a photograph of four schoolgirls posing with nooses around their necks.

The picture was widely circulated on social media.

Four pupils from St Wilfrid’s Academy, Blackburn, can be seen in their uniforms in the school's gym.

The Lancashire Telegraph chose not to publish the disturbing picture.

It is believed the photograph was taken as a joke.

Concerns were raised about the level of mental health education given in schools.

The image was copied and shared on social media by a third party, leading to an online backlash about the ‘distasteful’ and ‘irresponsible’ behaviour of the pupils involved.

It is understood senior teachers are 'dealing with the pupils involved'.

Here are some of your comments on the story from our Facebook page.

If it was just for a joke then they deserve to be punished or reprimanded in some way. Not cool at all.

Yvonne Mustard

Yes, this isn’t nice to see but I also won’t lose sleep over it. Get a grip.

Carl Elliott Hill

I’ve seen the photo and it’s absolutely disgusting. Why four young girls would decide to stage that because they had mock exams is beyond me. I hope they get spoken to and made to realise how inappropriate it was.

Leanne Mitchell

People seem to forget they’re only children. I’m sure there being punished enough.

Jade Luan Armstrong

I feel like not only do these kids need education on suicide, but so do these commenters. The joke is completely unacceptable but so is abusing them online. The amount of kids you see with mental health issues because of nasty comments on social media is horrific.

Stacey Clifton

A few people need a reality check here. Yes it’s distasteful, yes they need to be spoken to, but they’re children. We learn from our mistakes, we grow as human beings from these mistakes. Throw into the mix that it’s fashionable to be offended by everything and we have a lynch mob, instead of treating it for what it is, a group of kids who have gone too far.

Nick Talbot

Disgusting behaviour.

Elaine Kenyon

It’s just kids joking and being kids.

Robert Doyle