FOR people who didn't even exist, they had their share of ardent fans. Cathy and Claire, the top-notch problem solving pair, had young girls begging them for advice. Each week in Jackie magazine, the must-have read for 70s teens, their page was full of tales of woe. From those on spots to hating school and lacking confidence with boys, the letters came in by the sack. Yet what their writers never knew was that Cathy and Claire never existed - their role was carried out by unnamed staff.

In the foreword to the book, Kerry MacKenzie, who did the job from 1971-72, reflects how privileged she was. "I felt I was the luckiest person in the world when, fresh from Aberdeen University in 1971, not only did I land a job on Britain's trendiest teen mag - but the job was Cathy & Claire! On hearing about my fab new job, the response of my more cynical pals was along the lines of, well, that'll be a doddle - no one ever writes to problem pages, so all you'll have to do is make up a few letters once a week. Boy, were they wrong, wrong, wrong! Every day, around 100 letters arrived for Cathy & Claire and it was my job to answer them. Most of the problems broadly reflected the content of the magazine - Jackie was about romance and fun, not sex and drugs. Not surprisingly, by far the most frequent question was 'I really fancy this boy - how can I get him to notice me?' to which the Cathy & Claire stock reply included the simple but oh-so-effective line 'Just keep smiling and saying hello!'"

As Kerry suggests, what comes across is just how innocent girls were; how 70s teens were much less worldly than today's. The following letters provide a window on their world:

Don't tell me it's just a crush

DEAR CATHY & CLAIRE - You've probably heard this a hundred times before but I'm absolutely crazy about David Cassidy. I've felt like this for ages, and, please believe me, it's NOT just a childish crush. I've reached the stage where I just can't sleep at night for thinking about him and now even my school work is suffering. I'm not ugly and loads of boys have asked me out but I'm just not interested. Please help me, how can I meet David?

We do receive hundreds of letters just like yours, love, and we understand how you feel. But what you feel is a crush - honestly! Your emotion can't be described as love because it's impossible to love someone you don't actually know. What you DO know is his image projected by his publicists, and it's this dream you've fallen for. We've all had these sort of dreams at some time or another and they're lovely, we agree! But what you mustn't do is allow these dreams to take over from reality and spoil your chances of having a good relationship with a boy who IS attainable.

His hair style is ruining our relationship

DEAR CATHY & CLAIRE - I'm really miserable. I've been going out with my boyfriend for three months - and he's the trouble. You see, it's his hair. My hair is shoulder length, but his is a good five inches longer than mine - honestly! I love him a lot, I'm sure I do. He's a fantastic boy and he's good to me in almost everything. But if we go to the pictures, usherettes laugh and snigger at him. If we go for a walk, there are always kids hanging round and laughing at us.

My parents get upset with me and tell me that all our neighbours talk about me. My boy tells me he loves me, but if he did, surely he would get his hair cut, when it's making life so miserable! Should I finish with him?

The best way to try to get round this is to try finding out WHY he insists on wearing his hair so long. No doubt the price of haircuts has SOMETHING to do with it - but there's more to it than that. Could it be that he wants attention, that he wants people to notice him? If you think this is the case, then perhaps a little more affection from yours truly could make a difference.

My platforms are frightening him off

DEAR CATHY & CLAIRE - Although everyone always tells me that I suit being "petite", I'd love to be tall. Since platform shoes have been fashionable, I've been really happy as they add quite a few inches to my height. The other week, Steve, one of the boys at school, asked me out, and as I'd liked him for ages, I said yes. I knew that he wasn't very tall either, but this didn't bother me as he was a little bit bigger than me. I never thought about the fact that I'd only seen him when we were in school uniform and I was wearing low-heeled shoes. When I met him outside the cinema, we both nearly died of horror, as I was about three inches taller than him!

I've been out with him a few times since then, but he always walks along a little distance away from me and never moves closer or holds my hand. He's really nice and I wouldn't like to finish with him, but it seems to me that we're getting nowhere at the moment.

Steve must like you a lot, love, or he wouldn't keep asking you out. The reason that he walks apart from you when you're out is probably because he's self-conscious about the difference in your height. If you really like him, then why don't you invest in a pair of lower shoes? Small, neat platforms are just as fashionable nowadays as large ones, if not more so. After all, it's in a good cause!

My glasses get in the way

DEAR CATHY & CLAIRE - I wear glasses and that in itself isn't a problem, as I don't think they look too bad on me, it's just that I don't know what to do with them when a boy asks me to dance. If I don't wear them, I can't see a thing, but if I keep them on while I dance, they dig into the boy, so I'm not relaxed because I'm trying to avoid him all the time. Do you think I ought to hold them in my hand while I dance, or will that look stupid?

This needs a leetle bit of cunning and female ingenuity. You realise specs suit you, so play them up to their best advantage. So they dig into him a bit - make a joke of it! A boy appreciates a girl who can laugh at herself, and anyway, if you get that close to him, they can't be such a disadvantage, can they?

l Dear Cathy and Claire, The best of your favourite problem page (Prion, £6.99).