A men’s mental health group is opening a monthly session up to teenagers following the sudden death of a Year 11 pupil.

Shad Chefs, which run the Shad Chefs Man Hub at the Hub in Shadsworth, has announced it will open one of their sessions a month to boys over the age of 15.

It aims to help pupils who are struggling with their mental health or may have been affected by the sudden death of a student from Blackburn Central High School this week.

From this month, the 7pm session on the last Thursday of every month will be open to any male teen aged 15 or over, but they must be accompanied by an adult.

In a social media post, the Shad Chefs said: “We are hoping we can engage the youth element of the community and let them know that it really is OK to talk.

“Hopefully they will grow to know that they can come along and unload, just like us men do, and that there is no shame in it.

“Talking is the most effective form of communication and we need to let our youth know that this is the right way to do things.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to everyone that's been affected in any way with recent occurrences.”

Blackburn Central High School (BCHS) said the Year 11 pupil died suddenly in the evening of Wednesday, June 8.

Headteacher, Mrs Shanaz Hussain, said: “We have tragically lost a much-loved member of our Blackburn Central High School family," she said.

"Our heartfelt prayers, sympathies and thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the pupil and we will be supporting them in any way we can.

“We are a close-knit school and this is also extremely upsetting for our whole school community. We will do all that we can to help and support young people and staff who will obviously be deeply affected by this saddest of news today and during the difficult days ahead.

“I want all students and staff to know that extensive support will be available from our own counsellors, and support is also being made available from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and IMO Charity.

“We will be planning a memorial in due course, and we ask that the privacy of all our students and staff is respected during this difficult time.”