A mother who suffered the trauma of a still birth has set up a support group for women who are coping with the same heartache.

Andrea Strickland, whose baby Katie died in her womb, has founded the Airedale branch of the Still Birth and Neonatal Death Society.

Mrs Strickland, 36, a mother of two -- Samantha, aged five, and Joshua, 11 months -- lost Katie on January 18, 2000.

She was born seven weeks premature, weighing just 3lb 8oz.

"I wanted to get something positive out of this awful tragedy. I wanted to feel that Katie's birth had not been wasted," said Mrs Strickland, of Keighley.

About ten babies a year are registered as still born at Airedale Hospital.

Now Mrs Strickland has set up the group, covering Keighley, Craven and Ilkley, with the help of Sue Stone, a midwifery sister at Airedale Hospital.

"At first there are midwifes and GPs and everybody else giving you support," she said.

"I felt desperate after her birth. I had lots of support from my family and they helped me get through it.

"But eventually all the support systems are ended and you're facing a blank wall.

"People avoid you in the street. They see my face and are afraid of what I'm going to say, so they scurry off," said Mrs Strickland.

To find a support group after losing Katie, she had to travel to attend the Bradford branch.

"All the people I spoke to, midwives, GPs and health visitors, said there was a need for a support group in Keighley," she added.

"Lots of people don't realise what still birth is.

"The baby is born naturally. You have to go through labour and deliver the baby knowing it will never live."

She said the support group would welcome fathers as well as mothers and the meetings would be an informal gathering of people who had suffered the same trauma.

Meetings would be held on the first Thursday of the month at the anti-natal unit at Airedale Hospital.

The first is planned for December 6, from 7-9pm.

People interested in the work of SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society) should telephone 020 74365881 or Mrs Strickland on 01535 610372.