THE number of teenage pregnancies in Darlington has dropped thanks to a strategy that includes giving free condoms to young people.

The rate of conception among under-18s in the town has fallen since 1998, according to figures from the National Teenage Pregnancy Unit.

But the town's Teenage Pregnancy Partnership needs to reduce it by a further 32 per cent to reach Government targets by 2010.

"This is something we should be really proud of," said partnership chairman Helen Armstrong.

"But there is no room for complacency and we must now build on what we have achieved."

In 1998, the town had 66 conceptions per 1,000 15 to 17-year-olds, compared with a national rate for England of 47.

The latest figures for that age range show the rate per 1,000 at 48.5, compared with a national figure of 42.6.

Ms Armstrong said a strategy launched by the partnership in 2000 to tackle the problem appeared to be working.

"In terms of the numbers of young women becoming pregnant in Darlington, there aren't that many," she said.

"But it is the rate per 1,000 which counts and we have been told by the Government that we need to reduce the 1998 figure by 55 per cent by 2010.

"The trend is moving downwards and there is evidence the impact could be long term."

The partnership's strategy includes a scheme under which teenagers are given a card that they can use to get free condoms.

Work has also been done to improve sex and relationship education in schools and provide better contraceptive services.

Ms Armstrong said health and social workers needed to target the town's most vulnerable youngsters.

"They are always the most difficult to reach, and so far the youngsters who have responded the most to the efforts we have put in are probably not the most vulnerable," she said.

"We need to work out how to reach out and make services more easily accessible and more widely available."

The strategy, which is supported by Darlington Primary Care Trust, Darlington Borough Council, Sure Start, Connexions, the First Stop project, the YMCA, Family Planning and the Darlington Acute Services Trust, also includes support for teenage parents.

In April, six flats for single parents will be opened in Gladstone Street, Darlington.