TV personality Christa Ackroyd waved a flag for a new service urging more parents to come forward and adopt children.

The BBC Look North presenter, herself adopted at only ten days old, was supporting North Yorkshire County Council's new drive to find more parents to adopt children.

She said: "I'm supporting North Yorkshire's campaign because I really do feel very passionately about adoption.

"If there are people out there who are considering it, then I really want them to come on board."

Christa said: "I grew up in a loving and secure family environment and everything I have achieved today is because of them.

"You can feel luckier than most and quite special. I was always told that because I was chosen, and because I was wanted, I was special.

"In fact, far from making me feel inferior I felt very special.

"There can be times when it's difficult, but they exist when you're bringing up any child. But the benefits are so huge on both sides."

The county council has boosted its adoption service with ten social workers, and is currently looking for new families for about 20 children.

It looks after 410 children, a number that is growing by more than three per cent each year.

County council chairman Michael Heseltine said: "Today's launch was a splendid occasion and I'm confident that the county council's initiative will increase its success in promoting adoption across the county for a long time to come."

Mary Mckelvey, family placement service manager for York Council, joined in the call for more parents to adopt, saying the situation in the city was "serious".

The council has placed more than 50 children into adoptive care over the past three years and currently looks after about 150. Mary said: "We do need more adoptive parents - particularly for groups of siblings and children of two years and older."

Updated: 10:02 Thursday, May 26, 2005