A successful scheme which has created a breastfeeding-friendly town centre is likely to be copied in the North-East.

Hull and East Riding has pioneered a scheme which allows private and public sector businesses to display window stickers as part of efforts to encourage healthier child rearing.

A seminar organised by Darlington Borough Council's Social Affairs and Health Scrutiny Committee heard how the Yorkshire scheme has transformed the situation for breastfeeding mothers.

In an event which is part of National Breastfeeding Week, health promotion specialist Isabell Carrick from Hull and East Riding Primary Care Trusts explained how a business accreditation scheme designed to encourage breastfeeding had taken off.

"In our first year we had 11 premises, we now have 100 premises accredited," said Ms Carrick.

Although Hull is leading the way nationally, Darlington could be the next to adopt more breast-feeding friendly policies.

Dr Nonnie Crawford, director of public health with Darlington Primary Care Trust, said: "It is highly likely that within a year or 18 months we will be running an accreditation scheme in Darlington along the Hull lines."

Dr Crawford said there were also plans to encourage businesses in Darlington to develop more breast-feeding friendly policies towards employees.

"For instance we could give a little information pack about the benefits of breastfeeding to any women who goes on maternity leave," said Dr Crawford.

The meeting also heard that breastfeeding rates in Darlington are well below national levels.

Alison McFadden from Teesside University said health professionals had to give consistent advice to women and the number of premises where women could breastfeed needed to be increased.

Dr Crawford stressed that breastfed babies were less likely to be ill, there were health benefits for mothers and employers were likely to benefit from more family friendly policies.

Probation worker Siobhan McEvoy, 31, from Darlington, who attended the conference with her five-month-old baby Caedmon, said: "I would like to see a culture where people feel more comfortable feeding their babies in public. I don't feel too bad and meet other mothers in Caf Gulp which is accessible, welcoming and has good changing facilities.

"There is a lot of anxiety among mothers particular over how they will continue their breast feeding once they return to work."