LOCAL mother Nicky Osborne has launched an environmentally-friendly service that should banish the washday nappy blues.

Expecting her second child and determined to cut costs, she has set up a business that could be a huge boon for harassed mothers.

From today, she is taking to the road in her Happy Nappies van providing a nappy hire and laundry service.

The former driving instructor has based her business on the Gallowfields industrial estate, in Richmond, and plans to cover an area stretching from Ripon to Darlington.

"As a mother myself I was horrified by the price of disposable nappies and the damage they do the environment," said Ms Osborne.

Son Lucas, seven, came up with the name for the business while husband, Richard, and the rest of the family have all provided advice and encouragement.

The re-usable nappies come with a hygienic biodegradable liner which can be simply wrapped up and flushed away. The cloth nappy is then put in a scented and sealed container to await a weekly collection.

"Disposable nappies do a lot of damage to the environment - and a survey has found that reusable nappies can save as much as £850 over two-and-a-half years compared to disposables," said Ms Osborne, 31, who is expecting her second child in four months.