A NEW app will offer information, help and support to people in Herefordshire to help them avoid suicide.

The Stay Alive app, which is the UK’s first suicide prevention app, was created by the charity Grassroots Suicide Prevention, and will now be available in the county after it was licensed to 2gether NHS Foundation Trust.

Sally Ashton, clinical continuous improvement lead for the Trust, explained why it had invested in licensing the app: "We’re very pleased to be able to offer Stay Alive for people in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.

"The app has received positive feedback in the areas it has already been used, and we believe it offers an excellent source of advice and information for people who may have thoughts of suicide as well as those who support and care for them.

"The content is completely free and is available online and offline, so is always there for the user, whenever they are feeling vulnerable.”

The app will be launched at the Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide and 2gether NHS Foundation Trust conference, which takes place on Friday June 23.