A NURSERY has opened near Durham City, the first in the region to be run by a national chain of residential care homes.

More than 40 children have been registered to attend Bowburn Guardian Angels Nursery, and eventually it will take 88 children.

The two-storey building, on Bowburn South Industrial Estate, has been built by the Guardian Care Homes Group, which owns 32 residential care homes throughout the country and one nursery in Shropshire.

The purpose-built nursery, designed for children from three months old, has its own "sensory' room", including fibre optic lights, to stimulate children.

It also features a pre-school room for children aged three to five, the Tweeny unit for two to three-year-olds, a toddler unit for one to two-year-olds and a baby unit for three to 12-month-olds.

There is also an out-of-school unit for five to 11-year-olds, which doubles as a holiday club.

Manager Debbie Sams and deputy Sharon Gowling have each worked in childcare for nine years and they have a further five members of staff.

As the number of children registered increases, it is expected that there will eventually be 26 working there.

Gary Hartland, managing director of the Guardian Care Homes Group, said: "It seems a natural extension of our care homes group to also run nurseries for children. I think parents will be very impressed when they see the high standard."