GIRLS as young as 12 could soon be given the morning after pill in Wyre Forest schools without their parents knowing.

Some high schools in the district have been asked to consider allowing school nurses to issue the emergency contraception on site in a bid to tackle teenage pregnancy rates.

Teenage pregnancy co-ordinator for Worcestershire, Jenny Kimberlee, said the service, which includes counselling, had been available in some Worcestershire schools for several years but was to be extended as part of the county's 2004 Teenage Pregnancy plan.

She added it was being stepped up because of concerns Britain had a higher rate of teenage conception than any other country in the "rich world" but stressed it could not be implemented in any schools unless it had been negotiated with parents and governors.

"No woman takes emergency contraception unless she is at risk because she has had unprotected sex so it will only be given out according to clinical need - just the same as if someone went into a pharmacy and asked for it," she said.

"It will be completely confidential in exactly the same way as a young person going to a GP would be.

"The nurse will encourage the young person to talk to a parent or carer at home."