BURNLEY FC are urging football fans to practice safe sex by handing out free club-branded condoms at home games.

The Championship football club have teamed-up with The Condom Collective in a bid to make the contraception more accessible and acceptable to young people in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

As part of the unique scheme a special range of condoms in Clarets packaging will be given to fans at Turf Moor at selected games this season.

The aim is to halt the worrying rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as well as preventing the spread in HIV and unwanted pregnancies.

Burnley FC communications manager Darren Bentley, said: "We were absolutely delighted to be given the opportunity to support it and have even designed a fun, Burnley FC-branded envelope for the condoms to show our wholehearted backing.

"As a community club, we feel we should be doing everything we can to help promote good health and one way is a responsible attitude to sex.

"Due to the reported rise in STIs, there needs to be a radical and creative approach to 'normalising' condom use and we hope that as well as seeing the fun side, supporters will recognise the serious message behind using Burnley FC-branded condoms."

Condoms will be given out as supporters leave the Lancashire derby with Preston North End at Turf Moor on Saturday September 27.

Gareth Beck, young men's sexual health and risk taking behaviour worker, said: "The Condom Collective aims to remove barriers and maximise opportunities for young people to access appropriate services, so for Burnley FC to be willing to endorse condom use and to be seen actively promoting positive sexual health puts them in the forefront of engagement with local partners and major national health initiatives."

Neither Burnley Football Club or the Condom Collective will make any profit from the initiative.

It is hoped that people will donate 50p towards further promotions.