Facebook has been forced to issue an apology after its moderators removed an NHS backed breastfeeding group which depicted children play acting with dolls.

‘Express Your Mums’ was abruptly deleted after the group co-owner, Sharon Blackstone, posted a picture of her daughter pretending to breastfeed her doll amid accusations that the image contravened the social networks policy on nudity and obscene content.

But Blackstone defended her actions: "After giving her doll a naming ceremony, Maya told me that her baby needed to be fed. As she's only ever seen me breastfeed her little sister, it was the most natural thing in the world for her to pretend to do it the same way.”

A Facebook spokesman said: "The group was removed in error. It will be reinstated, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused."