A video featuring two “pregnant” schoolboys is the centrepiece of a hard-hitting publicity campaign to combat teenage pregnancy in Peterborough.

The city has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the country, and dozens of young women drop out of mainstream education as a result.

The viral video is part of the “Who’s the Daddy?” campaign, which will use social networking sites, YouTube and other digital media to spread the message.

The publicity blitz, which helps young boys to imagine what pregnant girls experience, also provides information on where young people can access sexual health and other support services.

Local school pupils were involved in putting together the campaign and filming the video, which organisers hope will be passed around by email and mobile phone.

A website and Facebook group have also been set up to increase awareness.

Eighteen-year-old Angela Khumalo, a student at Thomas Deacon Academy, was involved in shaping the campaign. She said: “I really enjoyed being part of creating Who’s the Daddy? It’s so important that young people are asked for their ideas when campaigns like this are developed and that messages get to us through the things we actually use - like YouTube and Facebook.”

Lorraine Brooks, co-ordinator for young people’s sexual health services at NHS Peterborough, said: “The key to this initiative is that we have involved young people in designing a campaign which means something and will appeal to them.” IB

www.whosthedaddy.info.