Whitehall has ordered urgent action in Enfield to cut the number of babies being born to young girls.

The borough is on a list of 21 teen pregnancy hotspots drawn up by the Government department for children, schools and families.

Teenage pregnancy rates here have risen 19 per cent in the last ten years. Today in the borough, 55 out of every 1,000 girls aged between 13 and 18 gets pregnant.

This puts Enfield in the top third of the 352 boroughs in England for rates of teenage pregnancy.

The Government wants the council and health providers to tell young girls how and where they can access contraception.

Enfield Council has launched a poster campaign aimed at 13-year-olds and up.

The message takes the form of an email exchange in text slang between pals about a broken condom.

The campaign is to run on buses for 12 weeks and will be extended to bus shelters.

Andrew Fraser, chairman of the Teenage Pregnancy Board, said: “We have to accept that we have a problem. Since we started to gather figures in 1998 the pregnancy rate has risen despite a great deal of work and advice.”

Mr Fraser warns that teenage mums have poorer prospects than their peers.

Councillor Glynis Vince, cabinet member for education and children’s services, said: “This campaign gets to grips with the issues and speaks to youngsters in a direct way that they will readily understand.”

Councillor Denise Headley, who represents Edmonton Green, said the issue needed a different approach.

She said: “This is old people telling young people all about it but there would be a much more positive response if teenage mums went into schools to show youngsters just what it means to be a parent.”

For more on the campaign, visit: www.4YPenfield.co.uk