BIG Brother housemate Jonny Regan is at the centre of a drive to reduce the number of underage pregnancies in the North-East.

As the County Durham firefighter faces a second eviction threat, a Keep a Jonny in the House campaign is being launched to promote condom awareness.

As part of the campaign, radio station TFM has had a large banner transported to the Big Brother house in London, and 10,000 leaflets printed, which will be distributed to young people in the region.

The campaign - sponsored by the Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in the Tees area - will be promoted as long as Jonny remains in the house.

Deborah Gibbin, one of the co-ordinators, said: "Teenage pregnancies are happening in our area because young people are not aware of the risks and do not have sufficient access to contraception.

"TFM's campaign to keep a 'Jonny' in the house was a platform for us to get this message across, and a chance for a local lad to put his name to a worthwhile cause - even if he doesn't know it yet."

Jonny's fiancee, Joanne Llewellyn, said: "I am 100 per cent behind the TFM campaign, and I know Jonny will be, too, once he leaves the house. It is good to see he is supporting such an important message."

She added: "I can't wait to have my Jonny back in my house."

Frozen food manufacturer Dalepak, which has a factory in North Yorkshire, is also taking advantage of the Jonny phenomenon.

After seeing the firefighter living on a diet of chickpeas and lentils on the "poor" side of the Big Brother house, Dalepak is offering a week's worth of veggie goodies to any other firefighters who can go a week without meat.

The drive is part of the National Vegetarian Week campaign, which takes place between July 8 and 15.