'Agony aunts' aid sex trouble teens

Children are texting agony aunts to ask them for advice on sex as part of a scheme to cut teenage pregnancy rates and sexually transmitted diseases.

More than 1,000 youngsters in Lincolnshire have texted trained agony aunts for advice on losing their virginity, contraception and homosexuality.

The 12-month project has cut teenage pregnancy rates and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, Lincolnshire County Council said.

It has spent £12,000 setting up the service and has now sold the idea to authorities in Nottinghamshire and Rutland.

Teenage pregnancy rates in Lincolnshire dropped by 31% from 1998 to 2005.

The Think service is confidential and advisers do not store the numbers of youngsters who text in.

Should the subject matter be deemed too complicated to be answered in a text message, teenagers receive the national freephone Sexwise number.

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