PARENTS who feel left behind by their clued-up youngsters can net hi-tech skills and bargains thanks to a new course.

Huddersfield Technical College is running courses in online shopping and mobile phone text messaging at the Deighton Centre from November 24.

Steve Harries, IT Lecturer for Deighton Adult and Continuing Education, said the online shopping course was being held to try to lighten the load for people as they began their Christmas shopping.

Online retailers are expecting a boom in sales this Christmas as computer users become more aware of bargains available online.

The main attractions of online shopping are that items are delivered to your door and, of course, you avoid the Christmas high street crush.

The 10-week course will cover every aspect of internet shopping, including the registration process, online accounts, security, retailers' policies and delivery.

The course will also show people how to use auction web sites like eBay to bag bargains.

The text messaging course was created because many adults find the skill hard to master, although it seems second nature to their children.

Mr Harries said it was also prompted by an appeal made by the parents of murdered teenager Milly Dowler.

After the inquiry into her death, they made a plea to other parents to learn to text so they can keep in touch with their children wherever they are.

Mr Harries said a text message is much less embarrassing for a teenager than taking a phone call from their mum or dad in front of their friends.

Anyone interested in the courses should contact the Deighton Centre on 01484 453988.