The father of Molly Russell, a Harrow girl who tragically took her own life, has been made an MBE for services to child safety online.

Ian Russell, 60, has been recognised for services to child safety online in the New Year Honours list after he set up the Molly Rose Foundation suicide prevention charity in her memory.

Molly Russell, 14, a schoolgirl from Harrow in north-west London, tragically took her own life in November 2017, a coroner ruled.

The Molly Rose Foundation has contributed to the establishment of the Online Safety Bill this year, PA reported.

Mr Russell told PA: "I’m here for the work that not just me but lots of people have done in setting up the Molly Rose Foundation, the charity that we formed after my youngest daughter ended her life in November of 2017, in the hope of preventing such tragedies in the future.

RELATED NEWS: The Woodman Ruislip celebrates Great British Pub Award

"Molly was quite content to get on stage and take part in school plays but she was a quiet person, she didn’t like the limelight, so I think she would have found this a bit strange.

"But because she was such a caring person, I think she would have been tremendously proud of being able to help people who may be struggling with their mental health and may be beginning to have thoughts about suicide.

"If she thought she could help those people live long and stay strong, she’d be very proud indeed," he added.

The foundation released a report last month that would have marked her 21st birthday.

It said that social media platforms have fundamental system failings in self-harm and suicide content.

The Online Safety Bill receive Royal Assent on October 26 in 2023, according to the House of Commons Library.

Its five objectives are: to increase user safety online, to preserve and enhance freedom of speech online, to improve law enforcement's ability to tackle illegal content online, to improve users' ability to keep themselves safe online and to improve society's understanding of the harm landscape.

You can find out more about the Molly Rose Foundation here.

For mental health support you can call the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.

Additional reporting by PA.