MANAGERS of a Wyre Forest nursery say they had no choice but to close after the school they are based in served notice for them to leave.

Carole Everett-Li and Wendy Anderson, who manage the privately-run Sebright Cygnets Nursery and Activity Club, say they were "heartbroken and devastated" to be told they had to vacate the room they rented at Wolverley Sebright Primary School due to classroom shortages caused by delays to building works.

The nursery has since closed permanently after 24 years in Wolverley, resulting in the loss of 10 jobs.

Speaking to The Shuttle, Carole and Wendy said: “We are devastated to have to close, but we were given no other choice.

“We were meant to be moving into a new modular building at the school but that has been postponed for a while and then we were given notice to vacate this room.

“We were told it might or might not be ready in February, but we’ve got nowhere to store everything nor would we be able to pay staff until then.

“We just want our parents to know that we haven’t closed because we haven’t got children attending or because we’ve got no money - it’s because we’ve got no premises.”

They added: “The parents have been leaving us lovely messages on Facebook. We’ve been like one big happy family.”

Wolverley Sebright said plans to create two new classrooms at the over-subscribed school in part of the building used by the nursery, and then move the nursery into a new modular building from September were thwarted when the contractor went into liquidation.

Executive headteacher Shelley Reeves-Walters said: “The delays in building works and the timelines imposed on us gave no option but to serve notice on the use of school space the nursery rented.

“The private nursery has only rented the large space within the school building with a long standing four-week notice period, agreed by all trustees. However, temporary alternatives for the autumn term were suggested to the nursery leaders on June 15 and we could then have issued a new licence for them to move back in the new year.

“It was the nursery managers who chose not to consider alternative temporary measures and decided to close the nursery.

"On June 18, I received an email saying they were still exploring all options and not to inform any parents until they knew more. On the same day, they de-registered their charity status.

"The first I learnt they were closing and not planning on re-opening was when parents of the nursery received a letter on June 23.

“During our meeting we also said they could continue offering before and after school care from a classroom or the school hall during the autumn term, as these would not be in use by school pupils and were welcome to continue to store their equipment until the builders commenced work within their current setting, which is now likely to be towards the end of August.

“The alternatives included hiring exclusive use of Mill Lane Pavilion, which the Wolverley Playing Field Association would prepare the space to be used. Our trust also offered to provide temporary nursery places at its other schools around Wyre Forest until the building works were completed.

“We also considered every option to accommodate our own school children without using the modular building, including taking walls down and using community facilities.

“However, none of these were feasible or possible under the government’s guidance for schools.”