PRO-LIFE campaigners claim the number of abortions across Oxfordshire will remain high until the "miserable and massive failure" to educate youngsters about unplanned pregnancies is addressed.

Supporters of the charity Life said even though new statistics showed the number of county women having terminations had fallen, there were still 155 procedures every month.

According to Government figures, there were 1,858 abortions in 2006, compared to 1,931 in 2005.

But a population rise meant the decrease did not affect the overall rate, which remained at 15 per 1,000 county women - below the English rate of 18.5 last year and 18.1 in 2005.

Mark Bhagwandin, Oxfordshire spokesman for Life, said: "It's outrageous that every year there's a high number of abortions.

"We need to recognise that abortion represents a personal crisis for a woman and, if we understand that, then that was 1,800 women in crisis in Oxfordshire last year. What kind of society tells a woman in crisis to overcome it by ending the life of her baby?

"There's a massive and miserable failure about getting information and education on unplanned pregnancies, which needs to start in schools with a greater emphasis in the curriculum about relationships."