MUMS who need advice on breastfeeding - or how to return to work after giving birth - have been provided with brand-new facilities on a Worcester housing estate.

The Tudor Way Children's Centre was officially opened by the city's mayor, Aubrey Tarbuck, and city MP Mike Foster was also there to lend his support.

Coun Tarbuck said "a few troublemakers" gave the Dines Green estate a bad press but it was not a true reflection of the area.

The new centre replaces the Dines Green Family Care Group, which helped hundreds of people for more than two decades.

The new facilities are built in an extension to Dines Green Primary School and offers 41 places for children under the Government-funded Sure Start scheme.

Coun Tarbuck said: "This

is the most impressive

purpose-built facility.

"I know that the estate of Dines Green has had something of a bad press of late, but looking at the faces around me, I know that's down to a few troublemakers and simply isn't a true reflection of the real picture.

"What comes over loud and strong is that the good old traditons of support in education and social and physical development set up by the Family Care Group all those years ago are in the safe and sure hands of the Sure Start people."

The aims of the Sure Start scheme are to:

l Improve children's emotional and social development

l Improve health

l Improve children's ability to learn

l Strengthen families and communities.

The Tudor Way Children's Centre will provide a creche between 8am and 6pm, offer hot dinners, and provide advice on first aid, the benefits system and children's health.

For more information, call Sure Start Worcester on 01905 753960.