NEARLY 50 Test Valley girls under the age of 18 fell pregnant in 2013, and more than half were aborted, according to new statistics.

There were 42 conceptions in 2013, 57 per cent of which resulted in abortions - higher than the Hampshire average of 55 per cent and the English average of 50 per cent.

The number was up on the 38 conceptions in 2012, but lower than the 48 recorded in 2011, according to data released last week by the Office for National Statistics.