TWO young mums have launched their own play sessions which positively encourages children to make a mess!

Youngsters can wallow in paint, sand and water to their hearts content thanks to a new and innovative Stickybobs company started by Naomi Fisher of Whitefield and her Summerseat-based business partner Victoria Matthews.

Weekly sessions are now under way at the Whitefield Methodist Church each Wednesday afternoon and the women have also branched out to Bolton. Naomi (32), who has a one year-old daughter, explained: "Stickybobs has been designed to encourage creative play among pre-schoolers from as young as one year. Creative play in the form of messy play has been proven to be vital in a child's development, building early mathematical and written skills, encouraging emotional development and even assisting with behavioural problems."

But it is not all for the kids. As parents stay with their children during the 45-minute sessions, there is an opportunity to meet and mix with other mums and dads.

Added Naomi: "Parents can relax and have fun without the worry of paint on the carpets, crayon on the walls or glue on the cat!"

She said the idea of Stickybobs came during a "daft conversation" over a cup of coffee with mother-of-two Victoria, also aged 32.

"When you have kids, you realise that the traditional working world doesn't conform with the new family. We are both creative and arty people and it was our intention that our children do as much messy play as they wanted," Naomi continued. But because of the obvious difficulties and pitfalls in allowing such activities to be staged in the home, both women hit upon the idea of establishing Stickybobs.

Naomi added: "The children can play with sand, water and paint. Our ethos is that whatever they want to do, that's all right by us. The whole thing is about development."

Numbers attending the messy play sessions in Whitefield have more than trebled in just a few weeks. And both Naomi and Victoria have ambitious plans to command a national foothold for Stickybobs. There are plans to start two more sessions next January, probably in Bury and Ramsbottom, and to introduce Stickybobs franchises in Cardiff, York, Macclesfield and Cambridge later on.

For further information log on to www.stickybobs.com