More than half of all adults in Britain fear the nation's children are beginning to behave like animals, a new survey has revealed.
Children's charity Barnardos found that adults had an overwhelmingly negative attitude towards children, despite most youngsters managing to stay out of trouble.
The survey found 54% of adults thought children behaved like animals, while just under half (49%) felt children were increasingly a danger to each other and adults.
Forty three% said they wanted something done to protect adults from children and 45% believed that many children were branded feral because it reflected their behaviour.
Half disagreed with the statement that children who get into trouble were misunderstood and in need of professional help.
Barnardos chief executive Martin Narey said the survey had uncovered an "unjustified and disturbing intolerance of children" in Britain.
"It is appalling that words like `animal', `feral' and `vermin' are used daily in reference to children," he said.
"These are not references to a small minority of children, but represent the public view of all children.
"Despite the fact that most children are not troublesome, there is still a perception that today's young people are a more unruly, criminal lot than ever before."
Barnardos commissioned the YouGov poll of 2,000 after the United Nations Committee of the Rights of the Child urged Britain to act to stop the demonisation of children.
