Cut-price infertility treatment is to be offered to up to 120 North-East couples.

The new Cromwell IVF and Fertility Centre in Darlington is due to open on Monday April 28.

Once it gets up to speed, doctors expect to offer heavily discounted test tube baby treatment to couples who enrol in the centre's egg sharing programme.

Normally IVF treatment costs between £2,000 and £3,000 per patient.

But couples who qualify for a scheme which involves donating "spare" fertilised eggs to enable other women to become pregnant will pay a fraction of the full cost.

Dr Kamal Ahuja, the scientific and medical director of the new Darlington centre, said: "If we can achieve the level of egg-sharing we are aiming for we could probably offer about five to 10 free cycles of IVF treatment each month."

The recent switch from their old base at the Washington BUPA Hospital to the private Woodlands Hospital in Darlington is part of a rebranding of the unit as a truly regional facility.

The Cromwell Centre is looking to attract around a thousand patients a year, with a particular emphasis on encouraging more clients from North Yorkshire.

A total of 1,432 babies have been born to mothers after all forms of fertility treatment at the Cromwell group's four treatment centres outside London.

"In the North-East we have had 383 singletons, 125 sets of twins and 16 sets of triplets so far," said Dr Ahuja. In the Darlington area there are currently 22 couples who are expecting babies in the next few months following treatment at a Cromwell centre, he added.

Egg-sharing was pioneered by Cromwell at the Washington hospital and the group is keen to carry on the tradition in the North-East.

"We were the first to start egg-sharing in 1990. We were very proud that it began in the North-East. Now it has become a truly nationwide phenomenon," said Dr Ahuja, who is a consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician.

The purpose-built new unit in Darlington is holding an open day on Monday April 28 followed by a 6.30pm talk by medical staff.

Because of demand the centre is repeating the event on Tuesday April 29 and anyone wishing to attend on that day should ring 01325 371070 and book a place.