ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

A mother has told of her shock at being “reprimanded” for breastfeeding her baby son in a popular pizza chain.

Freelance TV producer Carla Francome was feeding six-month-old Archie at La Porchetta in Islington when a waiter told her to “fully” cover up or go into a back room.

The 37-year-old, from Archway, said she was so “mortified” she started crying in the middle of the Upper Street restaurant.

She claims the waiter approached her while she was feeding and said “you need to either fully cover up or go in the back room”.

“They [the waiter] just kept walking past me, I felt like I was being reprimanded,” she told the Standard.

“The fact he did it while I was feeding was just really embarrassing. I felt like the waiter was appalled by it.”

Ms Francome says she was at the restaurant with a friend during a quiet Saturday lunchtime.

She said she usually covers up with a blanket, but had lifted her T-shirt without using one on this occasion, as the restaurant was virtually empty and she was only facing the kitchen.

She added: “I felt like I never wanted to breastfeed in public ever again, I felt mortified.

“The fact that this still happens is really shocking.

“People need to be made to feel comfortable when they have to breastfeed every two hours. How are new mothers supposed to go out if they can’t be comfortable breastfeeding in public?”

When questioned, the waiter told her that the restaurant had a policy that women should fully cover up or go into a back room to breastfeed.

He said it was brought in after a man had complained about a woman breastfeeding.

However, the head office for the popular Italian eaterie, which also has branches in Camden Town, Finsbury Park, Holborn and Clerkenwell, said it was unaware of this rule and offered an "unreserved" apology.

A spokeswoman told the Islington Tribune: "I am really disappointed, it is absolutely not our policy. It is very unfortunate.

"We can only apologise to this lady. The manager will be disciplined."

Ms Francome said she was happy with the restaurant's apology and would be prepared to return to the restaurant.

The Evening Standard has also contacted the chain to ask for further comment.