A NEW sign language course aimed at helping mothers communicate with their babies has been launched.

TalkFirst has been up and running in East Lancashire for more than 18 months but up until now there has been no dedicated class in the Ribble Valley.

Now mums can go to the baby signing classes and teach children to talk' through basic sign language before they can speak.

The brainchild of Julie Ryder, from Bacup, the service is extending its franchise after Helen Webster, 31, of Fountains Avenue, Simonstone, got involved in the business.

This is the first time Helen has run her own business and she was prompted by the birth of her own child Hannah, eight months ago.

A former early years support assistant at Broadlands special school, Mill Lane, Blackburn, Helen wanted something she could fit in around looking after her baby daughter.

Having used sign language in her previous job, she decided to give TalkFirst a go and the classes start this week at Whalley Village Hall.

Helen said: "This is a new thing for me.

"I was going to post-natal groups and Julie came along to one of them to speak to us and I got interested in the kind of things she was doing.

"There is nothing in this area like this and with my previous experience of signing I felt I could do this.

"The idea is to get babies communicating in a two-way process so they can tell there mum things.

"Hannah has just started signs for eat and drink and I hope to add more things as she grows."

The six week course runs every Tuesday morning and through a range of singing, dancing and playing with the children the hope is they can pick up the symbols to be able to communicate with the grown ups.

Helen said the ideal age to start taking the child was six months, although some were younger than that.

Under the system a baby can learn to communicate everything from "I want more milk" to something as complex as "I want my crocodile-shaped dummy.

Helen can be contacted on 07828 196 879.