A Hertfordshire mum has launched an essential online guide for families, with tips and advice on how to entertain kids across the county today (October 19).

Penny Joyner-Platt, who lived in St Albans for 11 years before moving to Hitchin, founded Little Ankle Biters Hertfordshire to provide trusted reviews of the best activity clubs, days out, classes and child friendly pubs & restaurants.

She said that becoming a mum for the first time and a global pandemic proved an ideal opportunity to pluck up the courage and get her creative juices flowing.

Speaking at the launch held at Paradise Wildlife Park, she added: “We have created a fantastic resource for families that will also help businesses, community led groups and charities across the county as they begin to establish COVID-secure ways of working.

“During my pregnancy and into motherhood, I realised there was a need for a reliable local family guide in one place to help parents and carers find great ideas and things to do to keep the children entertained and happy.”

Penny, 37, was made redundant when her little boy Freddie was only three months old, forcing her to look at what her next career move would look like.

She realised that a long commute and London hours would no longer suit her family life and, with the support of her husband, she took the leap and started her own business.

Penny used her time during lockdown to ensure the Little Ankle Biters Hertfordshire website and social media channels are rich in content including: what’s on, days out, travel, food & drink, education, clubs and classes in addition to an area for adults that focuses on work life, pregnancy and spas through to nights out for parents.

Little Ankle Biters is already established in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire and will be launching in Hampshire later this month. The company was founded in 2017 by former colleagues, Kate Gregory from Oxfordshire and Michelle Cairncross from Berkshire.

Kate said: “We are delighted to welcome Penny to the team and look forward to supporting her as Little Ankle Biters reaches out to the Hertfordshire community.

“We can’t wait to hear more about the fantastic family adventures this county has to offer and would encourage those who are looking for staycation activity ideas to also take a look at one of our other sites written by local mums.”

To celebrate their launch, Little Ankle Biters Hertfordshire has teamed-up with Paradise Wildlife Park to offer one lucky person the chance to win a family ticket to the park.

To enter the competition, visit Little Ankle Biters Hertfordshire on Instagram and sign-up to the Little Ankle Biters Hertfordshire newsletter, visit their website.