PARENTS are fighting to save a kindergarten threatened with closure.

Busy Bees Kindergarten, in Ragworth, Stockton, has hit financial difficulties after a drop in the number of children forced staff to put up admission costs.

The small kindergarten, run by a charity, is one of only a few playgroups in the area but staff say it will not be able to stay open beyond the summer without extra funding.

Parents are frantically organising fundraising events to save the playgroup, based at St John the Baptist Primary School.

Kindergarten manager Christine Walker said the number of children using it each week had dropped by about 50 since last July. She said: "Unless we get help or numbers rise dramatically, we can't stay open. We've already been forced to put up prices, but this is not a rich area so it's not fair to ask parents to keep on paying more.

"The parents have really rallied round because none of them want this place to close down. But, without money, unfortunately it's inevitable."

The kindergarten, which caters for under-fives, has been open for about ten years. It employs six staff, two of them full-time.

Stockton Borough Council said it will help the charity to create a business model to stave off closure, and a business advisor from the council is visiting staff later this week.

Jill Anderson, lead officer for the local education authority's childcare partnership, said it was committed to advising the kindergarten and helping it create a sustainable future.

Ms Walker said: "It would be a real loss to the area if we lost this place. It's a great resource and, judging by the support we've had, one that would be sorely missed."

A fundraising evening is taking place next Wednesday at the Riverside Inn in Stockton. Anyone who can help the kindergarten can call 0790 671 6330.