PARENTS on Teesside will soon be armed with the latest information needed to deal with a common pest.

As part of a joint exercise between Tees Health Authority, local health service trusts, nurses, doctors, pharmacists and education departments in the area, a head lice pack will be distributed to year one school children within the next few weeks.

The pack contains a free head lice detection comb, a treatment planner that allows parents to choose between insecticide or a non-chemical method to get rid of the live lice, and a leaflet.

The leaflet describes what head lice are, how to detect and treat them and how to protect against getting them.

Posters and further leaflets are also being distributed to GP practices, pharmacies, libraries, post offices and schools