A NURSERY-ON-WHEELS is coming to the end of the road after more than 30 years.

Darlington's playbus, which has welcomed thousands of children over the years, looks likely to teach its final children by the end of March.

Volunteers who run the nursery say a lack of numbers could mean the nursery will close at the end of the financial year.

The scheme, which is on its third vehicle, teaches children across Darlington borough, including The Denes, Skerne Park, Mowden and Red Hall, on different days.

The buses have been adapted to give children a varied education, including music, road safety and maths. Children also make crafts and have story-telling sessions.

Susan Taylor, one of the volunteers, said: "Over the years it has been getting harder and harder because we don't always get the grants and costs have been rising.

"We also feel it has been more or less the same staff for about 20 years.

"And children now have other things to do and so we have decided to call it a day."

The bus has served two generations of the same family.

Patricia England, 28, was taught on the playbus when she was a child. Her four children, Alice, Joanne, Simon and Ryan, aged between four and ten, followed her.

She said: "They loved it. We are constantly recommending people to go on it."