A HARD-HITTING message to remind young people of the dangers of HIV has been designed by a Worcester student.

Matt Bryan, from the city's College of Art, won a competition for his design to be printed on posters, leaflets and wallet-friendly small cards to publicise the safe sex message.

"We sat around and tried to work out what would be the target audience, and decided it would be people in the 17-30 age group who go out clubbing and getting drunk," said Matt, aged 20.

"I wanted it to look good and the sort of thing that will stick in people's mind."

Matt, who is studying for an HND in multimedia, said he wanted a design which, when put on a leaflet and given to people at the end of a night out, would not just get thrown in the bin.

"It's a bit tricky because they're going to make about 50,000 copies and I suppose most people might throw them away but if it makes one person remember the message, then it's served a purpose," he said.

"At least it will be better than the boring old blue leaflets that used to be given out."

Liz Bayley from the Worcester AIDS Foundation, based in Taylors Lane, said it was imperative to drive home the HIV and safe sex message to young people.

"The rise in HIV cases is alarming. The majority of cases arise in the heterosexual community, as opposed to homosexual or among intravenous drug users, which many people think.

"The rise in cases seems to be linked to drink and that's the message Matt has tried to get across in his designs."

Posters will go up in youth and drop-in centres around Worcester and will be made into "z-cards", which fold up into the size of a credit card and will be given out at pubs and clubs around the city.