Canterbury has been named as the sex disease capital of Kent, according to the Health Protection Agency.

Figures show the university city has the highest number of sexually transmitted infections in the county.

In 2012 there were 793 cases per 100,000 in Canterbury - compared with 627 the year before.

Medway came a close second, with 737 STI infections per 100,000 - compared to 514 the year before.

Those in Dover were the least infected, with just 310 positive tests.

Overall there was a rise of more than a third of STIs in the county - with 10,255 cases in 2012 compared to just over 7,383 the previous year.

The 15- to 24-year-olds continue to be the group most affected.

Ruth Herron from the Kent Community Health Trust said: "STI diagnoses are increasing but we might be testing more people now because we're working hard to make services approachable and increase access.

"There's a particularly worrying increase of Chlamydia in young people - one in ten people (nationally) have got Chlamydia, but don't know because it doesn't always have symptoms.

"There are increases in herpes and genital warts which is worrying as well.

"STIs can have a long impact on health - certain viruses you'll never be able to cure like HIV - and some infections like Chlamydia can cause long term facility issues."