A NEW online support service has been launched to help young people in Bury experiencing mental health issues.

The free and anonymous service, known as Big White Wall, will be available from June 1 to all young people in the town, aged 16 to 25.

Big White Wall provides a supportive, anonymous online community where members can share experiences and express themselves using words and images which they create themselves in the form of ‘bricks’.

There is also a library of articles, tips and courses accessible online and trained counsellors are available 24/7 to offer support and keep the community safe.

The service has been funded NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), initially for 12 months, and allows members to create a user name which does not identify them in any way.

In other locations where the project has been rolled out, almost half of its members say they have used it to report an issue troubling them for the first time.

Dr Jeff Schryer, mental health lead for the CCG said: "This is a really exciting initiative that we were keen to get on board with after seeing its success in another area.

"Traditionally mental health and wellbeing guidance and support has been provided face to face.

"Big White Wall aims to complement this by providing an anonymous online forum, where it is safe to share thoughts, feelings and views with other young people with trained wall guides available 24/7 to keep the online community safe.

"I’m sure this online option will prove popular with the younger generation and provide them with a positive outlet to share the way they feel and in turn helping them start to take control and get the support they need to feel better."

To join, visit bigwhitewall.com from June 1 and enter your postcode.