MUMS and their babies have given a top award to a Dorchester café for supporting breastfeeding.

Costa Coffee is the latest organisation to receive a Breastfeeding Welcome award from mums who found the coffee shop a friendly and pleasant environment to go and feed their child.

The Breastfeeding Welcome initiative is supported by the Dorset Primary Care NHS Trust and the National Childbirth Trust and other organisations interested in promoting the benefits of breastfeeding.

Elizabeth Carter, breastfeeding co-ordinator for the trust, said that the award to Costa coincided with Breastfeeding Awareness Week, which starts on Sunday.

"The breastfeeding awareness scheme is about premises, and they are not all coffee shops, who are supportive to mums who are breastfeeding.

"It's nothing complicated they just need to provide a chair and a glass of water should the mum need it and a friendly welcome. Costa cannow display a sticker saying it is part of Breastfeeding Welcome, which will indicate to mums that they can go there and feed their baby, knowing they will get a friendly welcome.

Jane Thrift, who is currently feeding son Max and visited the coffee shop to see whether it met the criteria, said: "It's not about being an exhibitionist. If you are in town and you need to feed your child with this scheme you know you have somewhere to go where you feel welcome.

"The more places that are available like this the better because it means that seeing someone breastfeeding won't be such a novelty it will be the norm."

Sarah Wilkinson, manager of Costa, said that she was delighted with the award. "It's good to know that we are doing is appreciated and that mums know they will be welcome to come and feed their babies."