Educating children about animal welfare leads more young people to believe animals have feelings too, according to research.

The Scottish SPCA said research shows its Prevention through Education programme has increased the number of children calling its animal welfare helpline.

The charity speaks to around 300,000 children a year and in the last five years it has seen a 382% increase in calls from youngsters reporting injured wildlife or cases of neglect.

In Fife, more than 25,900 children benefited from its free education service as the charity visited 130 primary schools in 2016.

The research, which was also conducted by the University of Edinburgh and published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, shows the effect of early intervention education on the school curriculum.

Roxanne Hawkins, a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh, said: "A key finding with this research is that following participation in some of the workshops, there was a significant increase in children's belief that animals have feelings.

"This finding is important as it means that hopefully by participating in animal welfare-themed workshops the inclination to take part in motivated and unmotivated animal cruelty can be influenced."

Gilly Mendes Ferreira, head of education and policy at the Scottish SPCA, said: "The research has shown a clear increase in children's knowledge about animal welfare following participation in our workshops.

"Our interactive programme encourages children to think about what animals need and they learn how they can be responsible towards animals they come across including pet, farm or wild animals.

"This is further evidence that the subject of animal welfare has a valuable role to play in the school curriculum."

Dr Jo Williams, senior lecturer in clinical and health psychology at the university, believes educating young people may also encourage children to be more compassionate.

She said: "Enhancing children's knowledge of animal welfare and promoting compassion towards animals through education will not only enhance animal welfare and reduce cruelty, but might also increase compassion to other people."