CHILDREN at a village nursery school donned traditional Indian costume to learn about Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Parents, staff and youngsters at Kirk Merrington Pre-school Nursery, near Bishop Auckland, also ate Indian food during the event, which marks the end of the Hindu calendar and financial year. Parents recently opted to take over the nursery after it was threatened with closure by Spennymoor Town Council.

The council has offered £8,000 of funding to add to the money for wages provided by the local education authority, and a committee will take control in April