A REGISTERED childminder is about to experience her first taste of fame, as she appears in a series of television advertisements.

Sue Norton, 35, from Washington, Tyne and Wear, was chosen to star in a series of advertisements to promote the work of childminders in Sunderland.

"I've had great fun filming for the adverts," she said.

"I decided to audition for the part because I thought it would be a good experience and I think it's really important that parents are aware of the childcare services that are available."

The campaign aims to promote the Children's Information Service in Sunderland (CISS) and raise awareness about childminding as a quality and cost effective source of childcare for working parents.

It was organised by the National Childminding Association, working with the Early Years and Childcare Group of Sunderland City Council.

Tim Dawkins, of the Early Years and Childcare Group, said: "The response we had from childminders to star in the adverts was exceptional and choosing just one proved very difficult.

"This has been a really exciting project to work on and everyone is now looking forward to seeing the end result."

The advertisements appear today and will run for two weeks.

For more information about childminding in Sunderland, contact the CISS on 0191-553 5654.