FREE condoms for the under-16s will not tackle the growing problem of teenage pregnancies, claimed a Ramsbottom councillor.

Coun Dorothy Gunther, a staunch critic of the policy of Bury Council and the local health authority to distribute contraceptives to children under the legal age of consent, again attacked the move at this week's meeting of the Bury Community Health Council (CHC).

She told members of the watchdog group: "I have strong reservations on the council to supply condoms to the under-16s without the consent of the child's parents.

"The teenage pregnancy rate is horrendous in Bury and we have had sex education and free contraception available for some time and it has done little to reduce the numbers." Coun Gunther did welcome the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy document, drawn by the health and council bosses, designed to stem the number of young mums.

She said: "I am impressed the strategy aims to help the under-18s who have children especially as it aims to offer them supported accommodation rather than abandoning them in a council house.

"But by simply offering free condoms we are responding to the problem rather than addressing it."

Mr Paul Reynolds, chief officer of Bury CHC, welcomed the document's strategy to ensure male youths have a mature attitude towards sex.

"It attempts to get at the man as well as the women to behave and act more responsibly.

"It will be interesting to see how the strategy works out in targeting young men," he said.