MORE free nursery school places are being made available for three-year-olds in County Durham.

Currently, 72.3 per cent of three-year-olds attend nursery schools, most run by Durham County Council.

The Government is encouraging councils to increase provision for that age group and has made about 200 extra free nursery places available.

Most will be at county council-run infant or primary schools in needy areas, and will help overcome the county's 342-place shortfall. But places will also be available in more prosperous areas and at private nurseries for children from poor backgrounds.

The nurseries to get extra places are at St Helen Auckland; Woodclose Infant School, Bishop Auckland; Our Lady of the Rosary Primary School, Peterlee; Acre Rigg Infant School,Peterlee; and Burnside Primary School, Stanley.

Alterations costing £60,000 will have to be carried out at three of the schools to accommodate the extra children.

Council director of education, Keith Mitchell, said: "The remaining places for three-year-olds could all be allocated according to the ward priorities previously agreed. However there are often small numbers of families with significant need even in the most advantaged wards.

To respond to this, it is proposed that a balance of places be allocated to all providers in the county to be used, for example, for children in families with low income or referred by professionals such as health visitors and social workers. Priority application to these will be made in September.'