SWANSEA public health chiefs say they have been taken aback by the high level of demand for cervical cancer jabs among teenage girls.

They say they were surprised with the number of 12 and 13-year-old girls wanting to take up the vaccine against the human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes most types of the disease.

A total of 20,000 year eight girls have already started to take part in the Wales-wide vaccination programme, being rolled out in secondary schools this autumn.

There will also be a two-year catch-up vaccination campaign, starting in autumn 2009, which is designed to offer protection to around 40,000 other girls up to the age of 18.

Nina Williams, specialist in public health, on Swansea Local Health Board, said at its meeting the body was surprised at the scale of demand.

A total of £26,333 of Assembly cash is being ploughed into the programme, during 2008/2009 in Swansea.

Dr Williams said: "We have been surprised at the response we have had. There was a lot of publicity on the HPV programme.

"This year, we are starting with year eight pupils and there will be a catch-up programme over the next two years."

She added: "I know the programme has already started and the response I have had from the co-ordinator is the response rates are very, very high."

A total of 99 per cent of invasive cervical cancer cases are caused by HPV viruses.

The new jab is designed to protect against the viruses responsible for around 70 per cent of cases.

Figures for Wales show there have been around 160-170 new cases of cervical cancer, along with 70 deaths a year for the past decade.

It is expected the vaccine will in future years help to prevent around 30 deaths a year, including those lives saved through the cervical screening programme.

The routine cervical cancer screening through smear tests of women, aged between the ages of 20 and 64, will continue every three years, as the HPV vaccine does not protect women against all forms of the virus.

In the board report, it said the routine immunisation of girls against the HPV virus was a long-term investment in cervical cancer prevention.

Dr Williams said there were concerns over the past six months as to how the vaccination programme was going to be rolled out over the city.

But she said it had worked well.

"We would like to congratulate the health visiting service, I know it's going to be a cost pressure we need to look at that," she added.

Judith Vincent, deputy director of clinical development, on the LHB, also at the meeting at the Scout and Guide Headquarters, in Brynmill, added: "The benefit of the programme is for those under-18 and we are waiting for guidance on women aged between 18 and 26.

"There's lots of questions going on about how to support them."