A NEW childcare company is investing more than £500,000 in the region and opening two nurseries.

Little Ladybirds will employ 37 staff when it opens an £80,000 nursery in Ingleby Barwick, near Middlesbrough, next month and more childcare facilities in Barnard Castle, County Durham, next year.

The company was founded by managing director Lesley Thompson, who also runs a private day nursery at High Bank Farm, in Stapleton, near Darlington.

Recognising the shortage of good quality nurseries in the region, Mrs Thompson set up a childcare company with teacher Melanie Hirst.

The pair had worked so well together at High Bank, they decided to establish the company, along with their husbands, Angus Thompson and Paul Hirst, and accountant Mike Turnbull to form a board of directors, with Mrs Thompson as managing director.

She said: "Little Ladybirds is a separate venture. There is a real need for high-class childcare and that is what we offer. We expect our staff to work to a very high standard. We are very excited about the new nurseries and the company."

The 100-place nursery at Preston Farm, near Ingleby Barwick, will employ 21 workers when it opens on October 4. It will feature a sensory room and a soft play area.

Building work on the nursery at the Harmire Business Park, in Barnard Castle, will begin next month and when complete, it will cater for 64 children and employ 16 staff.

Directors of the company are confident the nurseries will do well and believe one of the reasons they are already successful is because they offer a "wrap-around" care scheme.

Mrs Hirst said: "We have a breakfast club, where the children can come at half-past seven and then we will take the kids to school. We will also collect them after school and they can come to the nursery for tea and stay until 6pm. It will really help professional mums and dads."

For information on Little Ladybirds, call (01325) 365885.

An open day will be held at Ingleby Barwick nursery on Saturday, October 2, between 11am and 3pm.