COUPLES in the North-East are having fewer children because they cannot afford to bring up a large family.

Birth rates in England and Wales have dropped to their lowest level since records began in 1924, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Instead of the traditional 2.4 children, women in England and Wales are giving birth to 1.64, and in the North-East, couples have an average of only 1.58 children - the lowest figure in the country.

Professor Fred Robinson, a sociologist at Durham University, said: "This is probably to do with the fact this is one of the poorest regions, and people are very mindful of the enormous cost of bringing up children.

"Wages are low and unemployment is relatively high, which means people are waiting before having children. And when they do, they tend to have smaller families.

"The traditional North-East family, where women stayed at home and looked after the children, is now a thing of the past."

The decline may also be linked to falling teenage pregnancy rates.

Statistics show the North-East has the highest teenage birth rate, with 32.5 births per 1,000 to teenagers aged between 15 and 19.

Recent research by public health doctors in the region showed a sharp decline in conceptions from 56.3 per 1,000 girls under 18 in 1998.

The statistics also showed a large increase in the number of women having abortions.

The national average was 16.18 per cent. In London, it was 28.97 per cent, while in the North-East, the figure is 12.84 per cent.

Young girls are also being warned that they could face a fertility timebomb, caused by the spread of the sexually-transmitted disease chlamydia.

Figures from the Royal College of Obstetricians show that, across the UK, 13.8 per cent of teenagers under 16 may have contracted the infection.