VALENTINE'S Day will see the start of a campaign to reduce the number teenage pregnancies in East Lancashire.

While shops have been busy putting up signs encouraging people to show how they feel for their loved one on February 14, council workers have been handing out posters encouraging under-16s not to go too far.

Blackburn has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the country, and the new campaign is designed to make sure youngsters know where to turn to for advice, support or contraception.

The council is working in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust and other agencies to implement the teenage pregnancy strategy.

The series of four posters show cartoon characters.

Each message is designed to inform young people about services available to them - information, advice and help on issues including unwanted pregnancies, contraception and sexuality transmitted infections.

Plans are in place to use the images and different messages in various locations such as bus shelters and the cinema over the next 18 months. Blackburn Shopping Centre, schools and youth clubs will all display the leaflets.

The strategy aims to help young people make informed choices about sex and relationship and effective parenting.

This includes increasing young people's skills and confidence to resist peer pressure to have sex at an early age.

It also aims to improve their knowledge and understanding of the support services by increasing the availability of advice and information.

Blackburn with Darwen has one the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the country.

In 1998, 58.2 per 1,000 girls under 18 became pregnant. The aim is to reduce that by 23 per cent by next year.

Clare McCann, Blackburn with Darwen council's teenage pregnancy strategy co-ordinator, explained: "The aim of the poster and the rest of the planned campaign is to ensure all young people in the borough have the information they need to make informed choices about sex and relationships.

"We want to make a big impact. That is why the posters and messages are strong."