TEENAGE mum Ashleigh Fothergill has taken the first step towards building a career thanks to a support group which is celebrating its first birthday.

The 16-year-old became pregnant while she was still at school and had her daughter, Olivia, eight months ago.

But she has been able to restart her studies and has enrolled on a beauty therapy course at Darlington College of Technology, the first step towards her goal of having her own business.

The Darlington mother has kickstarted her life with the help of the SureStart Bump and Baby initiative, launched a year ago, which looks after teenage mothers during and after their pregnancy.

Weekly sessions are held at Park Place health centre where mothers can have their babies checked, weighed, immunised and get advice from health workers.

Ms Fothergill was directed to the Care2Learn initiative, which provides funding for full-time childcare and travel.

"I have always wanted my own business but didn't realise that I could do something I enjoyed until I went to Bump and Baby," said Ms Fothergill. "After Olivia was born, I wanted to go back to school and then to college but had no one to look after Olivia.

"Then I was told about Care2Learn and now I am on a two year course and hope to set up my own business as a mobile beauty therapist."

The group can be contacted on (01325) 488176 or (01325) 487718.