A new government nurse recruitment scheme will pay 85% of childcare costs for single mums training to be nurses.

Health secretary John Reid has unveiled the plan to tempt low income mums into nursing under a scheme that will be launched in September.

The Child Care Allowance Fund will offer mums on the lowest incomes £114.75 towards the weekly bill and those with two or more children will receive £170.

A department of health spokesman said massive child care costs were one of the biggest barriers to attracting single mums into nursing.