Wirral Mother’s Milk Bank, which was set up in 2004 and has assisted in feeding hundreds of premature babies with breast milk, has celebrated the recruitment of its 500th donor.

The Milk Bank is based at Arrowe Park and Clatter Bridge Hospitals and has regularly supplied the Liverpool Women's Hospital, where the region's smallest and sickest babies are treated, with breast milk.

The Milk Bank has received more than 3,000 liters of breast milk according to reports, and has been distributing it to neonatal intensive care units across the North West.

However, a research done by pediatricians has revealed that babies that feed on breast milk stand a greater chance of resisting infections than those that are being fed only with formula milk.

The Manager of Wirral Mother's Milk Bank, Annie Atkinson, stated that mothers who are having challenges in breast feeding their early-born babies, can now relax as they can get natural breast milk and be sure of their babies getting all the nutrients they need at this early stage of their lives.

Donors freeze their breast milk until its ready to be collected and Wirral mother, Jennifer Ashworth became a donor, when she taught she needed to borrow breast milk for her premature child, who was treated for 3 months at the neo-natal clinic before he could be taken home. She produced her own milk and had extra to donate.