A NORTH-EAST website is encouraging couples to agree in writing how far they are prepared to go in a relationship before they enter the bedroom.

A pre-sex agreement, which can be downloaded from the dadcheck.info website, invites couples to tick boxes to stipulate what they are willing to do together.

Louise Allcroft, director of dadcheck, which is based in Sunderland, said the scheme aims to ease tensions.

"People find it difficult to talk about sex, and this way it puts it in black and white. It can be a bit of fun for couples to discuss what they are going to do before doing it," she said.

"But there is also a serious side to the form.

"It isn't a legal contract but it does force a couple to agree on what they want and make the word "no" easier to say."

Sue Thompson, sexual health outreach worker for Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust, said the form would encourage young people to take more responsibility.

"If it helps them sit down and think about the decisions they make when planning to have sex then it has got to be a good thing," she said.

"We don't know if people will want to use these forms but they may help encourage them to communicate more with their partners about their sexual boundaries."

Knaresborough-based support group for victims of sexual abuse, Roofie.com, has welcomed the idea.

Roofie chief executive Graham Rhodes said the North-East had the highest rates of drug-related rape and sexual abuse outside London.

In 2003, it recorded 522 instances in the region - an increase of 120 from 2001.

"We are pleased someone has had the wit and intelligence to produce a description of consent," said Mr Rhodes.

"What we would like is a society where such a description has no need to exist."

Some students gave their opinion of the pre-sex contract.

"It's not very romantic, is it?" said 19-year-old Fiona Lund, a student at Darlington College of Technology. "I don't believe in casual sex, but I still wouldn't take a form out."

Ian Bell, 18, who also attends the college, said: "I'd probably laugh if I saw someone with one."

Susie Hadden, 17, of Richmond, thought the form was pointless. "You don't always know how far you'd go," she said. "It takes away the spontaneity".

Teesside University student Steve Fenwick, 23, agreed. "Contracts will always be abused by some people."