A strategy aimed at reducing the number of teenage mothers in County Durham is being launched this week.

The £250,000 project, funded by the Department of Health's Teenage Pregnancy Unit, will offer sex and relationship education, advise on contraception and support teenage parents.

It will tackle issues raised in TV soaps through two teenage mothers - Coronation Street's Sarah Louise Platt and Eastender Sonia Jackson.

County Durham has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the country, with 58.5 in every 1,000 15 to 17-year-olds becoming pregnant between 1996 and 1998, compared with an average for England and Wales of 46.4.

For girls aged between 13 and 15, there were an above average 12.7 pregnancies per 1,000.

Now, through a partnership of health, education, social services and voluntary organisations, a team specialising in sexual health will work directly with young people.

Some projects already under way include:

l Condom distribution schemes organised by youth workers and GP practice staff

l New clinics for young people through a link with the Family Planning Service

l Leaflets and information about local sexual health services distributed through colleges, youth services and voluntary organisations

l Events such as under-18s discos and college information stands to promote advice

l Internet web pages with details of clinics, opening times and services on offer.

The aim is to reduce peer pressure on teenagers to have sex, to persuade young people to use condoms to protect against unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, and to use the free confidential advice and information service at any GP surgery or family planning clinic if they cannot get advice at home.

Sue Everton, teenage pregnancy coordinator for County Durham, said: "This is an exciting opportunity to build up existing projects in County Durham which are working with young people to reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies."