This Lancashire town has one of highest rates of STIs in whole of North West

Looking at the rate of infection per 100,000 people, the calculator will tell you how many cases of certain infections - including genital herpes, genital warts, chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhoea and HIV - there are in your local area.

While Blackburn with Darwen has one of the lowest rates of infection across the North West, wider Lancashire and Blackpool are certainly up there with some of the highest rates. 

The number of new STIs diagnosed in Blackburn with Darwen is 540 per 100,000 with 288 cases of chlamydia per 100,000 people and 65 cases of genital warts per 100,000 people. 

In Lancashire, the number of new STIs diagnosed is 612 per 100,000 people, while 302 cases of chlamydia per 100,000 people have been detected and 78 cases per 100,000 people of genital warts.

However, it's Blackpool that has the highest rate of infections (fourth in the North West behind Manchester, Liverpool and Salford), with 1,107 new cases diagnosed per 100,000 people.

Rates of chlamydia in Blackpool are at 513 per 100,000 people, while 132 cases of genital herpes per 100,000 people were detected.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been around for thousands of years, and are still a serious health issue in the present day.

While treatments have been developed for the majority of STIs, and many are now completely curable, there is still a clear and present risk of catching one if you’re not careful.

Like any transferable illness, STIs can fluctuate in how prevalent they are in different areas.

They rely on person-to-person sexual contact in order to infect someone new, so infection rates tend to be pretty low compared to other infectious viruses such as the flu.

However, if you’re not careful and you let passion cloud your better judgement, you could well end up with an unpleasant surprise.

The calculator has been created by FROM MARS, a healthcare website for men.

Superintendent Pharmacist at FROM MARS, Navin Khosla, explains why the calculator has been created and the importance of having safe sex.

He said: “Here at FROM MARS, we understand the importance of sexual health and why it’s vital we all have safe and enjoyable sex.

"We wanted to create the STI Calculator so that people across the UK could get a better understanding of the most prevalent STIs in their local area and how ‘at risk’ they are of catching one if safe sex isn’t abided by.

“The calculator is extremely easy to use and we hope it comes in useful for as many people as possible.

"Simply select your region and you will be given the number of STI cases in your area, as well as the most common STIs.

“It’s crucial we all have safe sex and use a form of protection which is best suited to our bodies.

"For men, it’s advised that a condom should always be used, regardless of whether your female partner is on the contraceptive pill or not.

"There are many forms of contraception for women and your GP is on hand to talk you through your best options, as well to help put your mind at ease.”

To create the calculator, FROM MARS used data from Public Health England, which gave them the diagnoses rates of multiple STIs including syphilis, genital herpes, HIV and more.

The tool was then combined with expert information and guidance on how to protect yourself from STIs.

Using the NHS website as a source, FROM MARS compiled advice on how to have safe sex, when you should get tested, and what to do if you receive a positive diagnosis for an STI.