A NEW play being performed in Southampton's schools will highlight the many challenges faced by young people growing up in the city.

Tom's Story, created by the Star Project, will explore relationships, sexuality, peer pressure and exploitation in the medium of drama.

The performance, which has been funded through a Big Lottery Award and is supported by Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, is set to make its debuts in Southampton's schools over the next few weeks.

The play will involve students in the stories of a group of youngsters who become pressured by their peers and find themselves faced with a number of difficult choices.

Among the issues highlighted by the play are the early warning signs of grooming and dangerous relationships.

Each performance will then be followed by a half hour-long interactive session when students in the audience can talk to the cast members and ask questions and discuss what they have seen on stage.

Frankie Eyre, Star coordinator, said: "Tom’s Story covers so many sex and relationships issues that I’m sure every young person who is in the audience will relate to a least one point. This will help young people understand the importance of healthy relationships and engage in their own thinking around such issues.

"The performance is the springboard for conversations, discussions and lessons around very challenging and relevant problems for the young people of Southampton.”

The Star project has been run in the city since 2000 by Southampton Rape Crisis, with the aims of reducing domestic, sexual and relationship abuse and raising awareness of the methods of help that are available to victims.

Star often runs workshops with young people and works with them about issues such as consent, preventing sexual abuse, harassment and exploitation and teenage pregnancy.

The project has won a number of wards and has been recognised by the European Parliament as one of ten international examples of best practice for rape prevention and helping victims of rape.