A MOTHER who wanted to breastfeed her baby was told she had to sit in the disabled toilet at a Bolton store.

Vicki Fletcher, aged 30, of Ainsworth Street, Halliwell, asked a member of staff at Marks and Spencer in Deansgate where she could breastfeed Ben, her seven-and-a-half month-old baby.

But she was told she would have to sit in the disabled toilet.

Miss Fletcher said: "I had to change Ben and took him into the toilets where I was forced to change him in his pram. I wanted to feed him afterwards and asked where I could go.

"I was shown to the disabled toilets which stunk and had toilet paper all over the floor."

Miss Fletcher was encouraged to breastfeed by her community midwife, who, as part of the Surestart scheme, is trying to get more mothers to breastfeed.

Surestart midwife Sue Farnworth said: "We don't see a lot of mothers breastfeeding in public in Bolton and, because it is not seen as a natural thing to do, young girls, when they have children, will not want to be seen doing something that is different.

"Research has show that by the age of 12, girls have already made their minds up as to whether they will breastfeed or not.

"It doesn't help when messages like this are sent out. We need to assure the next generation that breastfeeding is the best thing to do for their baby. This includes shops in all towns having designated areas for breastfeeding."

A spokesman for Marks and Spencer said: "We would like to sincerely apologise for what this lady was told.

"Our policy is that nursing mothers should be given as much help as possible, and to sit in a toilet is not at all appropriate. We are sorry this store did not comply with our policy and we will be taking the issue up with them.

"Nursing mothers would usually be found a quiet room off the sales floor, such as an office, so they can feed in nicer surroundings."