A 16-year-old dad who has just seen his second child born today confessed that life as a teenage parent is a struggle.

Dean Grey's son Declan was born six weeks ago - two years after his first-born, a daughter called Tegan-Leigh.

But he today admitted life as a father is a struggle.

He has urged other Basildon youngsters not to follow in his footsteps and is speaking out after 13-year-old James Sutton of Manchester - Britain's youngest father - celebrated the birth of his twins this week.

He told the Sun newspaper: "I can't cope with being in a relationship like this and being tied down for years to come. I know I have got responsibilities and I am trying to face up to them."

He added that "loads of people" had told him he had been a fool to father children at his age and had foreseen his split with teenage sweetheart Lindsay Mumby.

Dean now says: "I want to do my own thing."

Ex-Nicholas School pupil Dean, of Laindon, saw his friends and family rally round to help support him and Lindsay, who was then 19.

However, despite the support the relationship floundered and Lindsay fled back to her home town of Leeds, taking Tegan-Leigh with her.

The couple reconciled briefly - long enough to conceive Declan - but Dean admits they have little chance of a future as a family.

Dean, who has since found work with a concrete mixing company to try to support his growing family, said: "I thought I would be able to cope but you've always got to rely on other people.

"There are all the bills and the money you need to buy clothes and food. It is totally impossible to make ends meet."

No kidding - Dean Grey, just 16, with his newborn son Declan and two-year-old daughter Tegan-Leigh

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.