Yesterday, Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven & Workington, launched a Private Members' Bill - the Safer Phones Bill - to protect children from the harms that can be caused by excessive screen time, and the use of social media and other apps, many of them addictive by design.

MacAlister told BBC Breakfast that children are 'doomscrolling for hours a day' and he wants guidance for schools turned into law

Joe Ryrie, co-founder of "Smartphone Free Childhood" (SFC), says it's no surprise that kids are spending up to 9 hours a day on social media.

Schools and parents across Hitchin are getting behind the campaign.

Last month Hitchin's William Ransom Primary School head teacher Tony Plunkett told the BBC; "you don't want to alienate your child, so you inevitably give them access. Hopefully, what we're doing is trying to build that community where more children do not have phones than do."

Hitchin MP, Alistair Strathern has labelling the SFC initiative as "brilliant"

Across Hitchin's WhatsApp groups of parents are sharing information, talking points and events around the campaign in what is sometimes described as "the new frontier in parenting".

The "Smartphone Free Childhood" campaign itself traces its origins to a WhatsApp chat between two people that led to a viral Instagram post, thousands of local WhatsApp groups emerging like those in Hitchin and media interest that followed.

Today there are over 150,000 parents in the SFC community

MPs could debate the proposals in the new year, if there is enough parliamentary time.

Hitchin SFC Schools:

• William Ransom Primary School
• Samuel Lucas JMI School
• Kingshott School
• Wilsher-Dacre Junior Academy
• Whitehill Junior School
• Highbury Infant School
• St Ippolyts CE Primary School
• Hitchin Girls' School
• Mary Exton Primary School
• The Priory School
• Purwell Primary School
• Our Lady RC Primary School