SCORES of pretend teenage mums were created in High Wycombe for the bank holiday weekend as Year Nine pupils found out what it was like to look after a virtual baby.

Up to 31 pupils at Wycombe High School took part in a practical parenting experiment as part of their personal, social and health education class.

Classmates nominated the most responsible member of their group to take home a three-to-four- month old virtual baby, which required feeding and caring for 24 hours a day.

On Thursday afternoon, equipped with just a bottle and a bag of nappies, the new "mums" were instructed to look after their wailing charges for three days on their own, making childcare arrangements for when they were in class or planning to go out during the weekend.

Sarah Brook, head of Year Nine said: "The babies were supplied by Lifechoice and actually cried and woke up during the night and responded to rocking and kisses and cuddles.

"The purpose of the experiment was to make the girls think about how they would cope if they had to do it for real.

"Everyone had a lot of fun and it opened their eyes to life as a young mum."