I fear for my son after meeting internet girlfriend halfway across the UK

DEAR DEIDRE: MY son really wants to meet his internet girlfriend but I’m scared to let him out of my sight.

He’s 16 and studying for his GCSEs. He’s hoping to go to college next year to study sports.

I never used to worry about him but last year he had his new iPhone snatched by a mugger on a moped.

Since then I’ve been a nervous wreck thinking he could have been stabbed or, worse, killed.

He changed after the mugging. He became more withdrawn and a lot of his school friends drifted away.

Now all he does apart from school is kick a football around on his own or play games on his computer. I’ve often thought he seems pretty depressed.

He has met this girl on an online gaming forum. She’s 16, too.

They seem to get on really well, talking and gaming every night. I can hear him laughing in his bedroom.

He really wants to meet her in person but she lives at the other end of the country.

Even though he’s a sensible lad, I’m terrified to let him travel that far by himself. Am I being overprotective?

DEIDRE SAYS:  You’re not being overprotective. You’re trying to keep your son safe.

I’m not surprised he seems withdrawn since he was mugged.

The teenage years are hard enough with exam stress and changing hormones.

Being attacked on top of all that must have been traumatising.

I understand why you’re worried about him travelling alone to meet a girl from the internet.

To put your mind at rest, could you ask your son to set up a FaceTime call so you and her parents can meet?

If that goes well, perhaps you could travel with your son when he goes to see her and stay in a nearby hotel.

It might be something for him to look forward to after his exams.

As your son is the sporty kind, he may be interested in a charity called sportinmind.org (0118 947 9762). It aims to transform the lives and mental health of children and adults through sport and physical activity.

This may be something he could get involved with later in the summer.