A PIONEERING confidential advice centre, complete with a doctor texting service for Atherton teenagers, is set to open at Hesketh Fletcher High School - and it's a teacher free zone.

The TIC TAC (Teenage Information Centre, Teenage Advice Centre) is the first of its kind in Greater Manchester and offers a haven for young people to seek confidential help with problems.

Wigan Council, the school and other organisations have joined forces to make the centre a reality. It will eventually be open during the school day, evenings and weekends offering help on everything from health and well-being through to careers advice and what's going on in the community.

Community enterprise officer, Josie Carter said: "We have tried to create a centre where the young people will have a real sense of ownership.

"It is often difficult to get young people to open up about any concerns they have. Through peer pressure and other factors they are often reluctant to seek advice.

"The centre aims to take some of that pressure off by creating an environment where they can feel comfortable and where their concerns are being listened to.

"It is linked to the school but will be a teacher-free zone. It will be staffed by professional advisors and experienced youth workers and will have somewhere where youngsters can watch a dvd or do their homework. It is not a youth club or homework group but we want young people to feel comfortable there."

One key feature will be the centre's groundbreaking text service, which will allow young people access to straightforward advice on health issues from their mobile phone.

Josie said: "We have teamed up with an Atherton GP to provide the text service. The doctor will receive the incoming queries via a dedicated text number and reply to them in the same way."

The centre has been funded through the council's Extended Schools' Programme and will receive support and input from the Local Education Authority, Wigan Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, Health Services, Connexions and Positive Futures.

The team is currently working with young people in the area to find a fitting title for the facility.

Young people in Atherton who would like to find out more can contact the team at Hesketh Fletcher on 01942 882425 ext.228.