PARENTS have opted to take over their village nursery in a bid to stave off closure.

People in Kirk Merrington reluctantly decided to take over management of Kirk Merrington Pre-School Nursery at a meeting attended by dozens of villagers.

Spennymoor Town Council threatened to close the pre-school group, which is the only facility for the under-fives in the village, saying that the authority could not afford to continue to run it.

Parents protested, and the council offered £8,000 of funding to add to money for wages provided by the local education authority.

Paul Skuce, whose son attends the pre-school nursery, said that from April parents would be in control of the nursery.

He said: "It's going to be a challenge. It's not the outcome we expected. But we have a burning desire to prove the council wrong.

"Although £8,000 was a generous donation, we are left in a predicament and first need to go back to the council for a few clarifications.

"It is a council building, so we need to discuss with the council what that means, and look at things like that.

"We are expected to take over a successful nursery, that is something that frightens us, because it's been so well run."

Terry Buckler, also from Kirk Merrington, has offered to work as consultant to the new committee.

He said: "What people are most concerned about is maintaining quality provision for children. We are determined to do that. There is a lot of planning to do now."