WARRINGTON has earned high praise from a Government minister this week for a substantial fall in the rate of teenage pregnancies in the town.

Warrington has had one of the biggest declines in teenage pregnancies in the north west since the Government introduced the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in 1999 with an overall reduction of 17 per cent from 1998 to 2004 in under 18 conceptions.

The reduction has been achieved through commitment from Warrington Primary Care Trust and the town's Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership implementing the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy.

Last year a one-stop shop was opened at The Gateway in Sankey Street. It has a range of services including the young people's sexual health service.

A number of outreach services have also been developed, including a condom distribution scheme and access to the emergency pill seven days a week.

Children, Young People and Families Minister Beverley Hughes said: "I want to congratulate the work going on in Warrington where there has been particular progress thanks to the high quality support and services being offered to young people."

"The real success is the commitment and desire to take forward the strategy by all partners."