A SCHOOLGIRL mum today lashed a charity's new advice pack that tells children they could have secret abortions.

Carley Treagust, who gave birth to her son Blake when she was 15, spoke as Education for Choice prepared to distribute the information to teachers and doctors across East Lancashire.

She was backed by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children -- which said it was writing to schools and clergy urging them to boycott the packs.

But bosses at the Government-funded charity defended the move, claiming some children were too scared to go for help for fear of their parents knowing.

New guidelines released earlier this year by the Department of Health told doctors they could give abortions to children without telling their parents and that confidentiality must be maintained, regardless of patient age.

Charity bosses are now planning to target areas including East Lancashire to increase early sales of the £17.50 packs.

The pack says: "Doctors, nurses and health workers have a duty not to give information about you without your consent -whatever your age."

Health workers are battling to reduce East Lancashire's high teenage pregnancy rate, which is linked to deprivation and poor education.

Currently a third of all teenage pregnancies in Blackburn and Darwen are aborted and Carley, of Clinton Street, Blackburn, fears the pack could lead to an increase in local girls chosing terminations.

Now 19, she has become a peer education advisor for Brook Advisory Clinic, which offers independent sex education to teenagers in Blackburn and Burnley.

She said: "Pressures to have an abortion were obviously there because of my age and without my parents support I wouldn't have got through my pregnancy. I am now so glad of their help as I have a beautiful son who means the world to me.

"I want to teach girls because I know what it is like from their point of view and I would never say: 'Oh by the way if you want an abortion we don't have to tell your parents.' That should always be the first thing we ask them to do.

"Under age girls should not be made aware of this as an option unless it is absolutely necessary.

"At that age some young girls might panic and if they think they can have an abortion without their parents ever needing to know then they may do so for that reason alone and later realise it was the wrong decision."

Carley said Blake, three, was now all that mattered to her and said: "He is so lovely and my life is all about him. It's scary to think some girls might miss out on something so wonderful."

Anthony McNamara, head at St Augustine's RC High, Billington, said: "I find the whole idea appalling. How are parents supposed to help their children through such things if they don't even know what is happening?"

Julie Waring of Brook said: "Whilst respecting the right to confidentiality, service providers would always encourage a young person if possible to seek the support and involvement of their family."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope, a Roman Catholic, said he could see both sides of a "very sensitive moral issue" and added: "While many parents would be horrified to hear of their daughter having an abortion without them knowing, unfortunately we don't live in an ideal world where all parents would be supportive."

Director of Education for Choice, Vicky Berry, said: "It is not about encouraging secretive behaviour. If children are too scared to go for help they might not seek help at all."