AN MHK wants to introduce legislation that will make it an offence to prevent a person breast or bottle feeding in public.

At the House of Keys sitting tomorrow (Tuesday) Rushen MHK Juan Watterson will seek leave to introduce a private members bill.

Mr Watterson explained his reasons behind the proposed legislation.

He said: "There are a number of motivations behind this.

"Firstly there is the anecdotal evidence of mothers being asked to stop feeding on buses and being asked to leave shops on the Island.

"Secondly, in spite of overwhelming evidence - from the World Health Organisation especially - about the benefits of breast feeding for the first six months being good for both mother and baby, take up rates on the Island are low and 'drop off rates' are high.

"It all mounts to a need to improve education and attitudes to this subject and I see protecting a woman's right to breastfeed her child in public as an important part of that process."