BABIES in Warrington can get a helping hand in communicating with their parents thanks to new sign language classes.

Thrse Markham is holding sessions in Tiny Talk, British Baby Sign Language, in Callands and Stockton Heath aimed at helping youngsters tell mums and dads what they want.

The classes are based on the ideas of Katie Mayne, a primary school teacher and teacher of the deaf who pioneered baby signing in the UK. She believes that making hand gestures is much easier for young children than trying to formulate words and sounds.

Thrse's daughter Hannah made her first sign when she was 10 months old and successfully asked for milk without crying.

Now, aged 15 months, she can sign more than 45 words and Thrse says her signing vocabulary is growing.

She added: "I started practising the milk sign with Hannah and at first she just ignored me.

"I persevered by signing and saying the word each time I gave her a bottle and after a few weeks she was signing to me when she wanted her milk."

Sessions are suitable for babies up to two years but would be most useful to children aged between six and 18 months.

Tiny Talk classes will be held during term time on Tuesdays between 10.30am and 11.30am at St Thomas' Church hall, in Stockton Heath, and on Fridays at the same time at Callands Community Centre, on Callands Road.

More information is available from Thrse on 445143, or by e-mailing theresem@tinytalk.co.uk