It’s hard to believe that a gorgeous model like Lily Cole ever had to deal with bullies.

But she recently opened up about the hell she went through at school; all because of her red hair.

Thinking back to her own personal experiences, when very little was done to stop her tormentors, Lily now wants more to be done about bullying.

Lily’s experiences of bullying

“I was bullied because I have red hair, although actually, I think I was bullied because some kids bully sensitive children,” she told Mail on Sunday’s Live magazine.

“Red hair is an issue, particularly in this country. Teachers often let it happen because there isn’t a stigma around it in the way there is, quite rightly, about something like racism.

“Racism has a huge stigma attached to it and therefore it isn’t played out so carelessly.”

Lily is now a success model and actress (she starred in St Trinian's in 2007 and is currently promoting her new film Confession of a Child of the Century at Cannes Film Festival), so it would be easy to think the tormenting hadn’t affected her. But she admits that’s not the case.

“When I’d meet people, I would think they wouldn’t like me – that was an actual thought process – because I’m a redhead. It’s absolutely absurd!

“Any form of bullying should be stamped on because children are so fragile and it affects them. It’s horrible... I remember feeling very insecure,” she admitted.

Despite all the bad memories surrounding her auburn hair, Lily says she now loves being a redhead.

“The irony is that now I love my hair.

“Years ago, an older man with red hair, said to me: ‘All redheads go on the same journey. You’ll hate it when you’re younger and then when you are older you’ll start dyeing it because you’ll really want it back…’ And I think there is that trajectory. It’s a wicked colour to be.”

We agree – some of our favourite celebrities are redheads: Damian Lewis, Rupert Grint, Christina Hendricks and Jay from EastEnders.