A former mayor is suing her own council, claiming that she was barred from using the official limousine because she was breastfeeding her baby son.

Pauleen Lane, 41, had been determined that her official duties would not interrupt caring for her son, Oscar, when she gave birth two months before becoming Mayor of Trafford, Greater Manchester.

She claims that it was made clear to her that she would not be able to use the mayoral black Volvo to take her to and from engagements unless she found or paid for a second adult to accompany her.

Instead, Salford County Court was told, Mrs Lane had to follow the civic limousine carrying the attendant transporting her official chain of office in her own much smaller car with Oscar in a baby seat.

Mrs Lane is pursuing an action for sexual discrimination on the ground that a male mayor would not have received such treatment, and that she had therefore been treated unfavourably. Trafford Council denies the claim.

Mrs Lane said the council leader, Susan Williams, expressed to her the concerns of the mayor attendants about driving a baby in the car and being seen as “nannies”.

Paul Gilroy, QC, for Trafford council, said that milk could have been expressed and given to someone else to feed her son. Mrs Lane said: “I was never able to express it in the quantity that would have been suitable.”

The hearing continues.

Times Recommends

• Iran arrests relatives of opposition leaders
• Banksy rival has final word in art feud
• Electrician travels 175 miles to change bulb