MORE than 100 families with youngsters aged from tots to teens are breathing a sigh of relief that the pre-school and after-school services they rely on in Wisbech are being saved. When College of West Anglia bosses thought about axing the service to save

MORE than 100 families with youngsters aged from tots to teens are breathing a sigh of relief that the pre-school and after-school services they rely on in Wisbech are being saved.

When College of West Anglia bosses thought about axing the service to save money, parents and staff joined together to fight to save it.

As reported in the Wisbech Standard last week Cambridgeshire County Council has stepped in with funding until next April allowing time to find an alternative provider.

Photographer Brian Purdy went along to a pre-school session to find out why the facilities are so popular with families.

Manager Glynis Wade said: "We are delighted that now we have got security until April and we hope after that to have some sort of long term future by finding another provider."

Mrs Wade said 130 families had faced uncertainty during the consultation period and the services were more popular than ever.

At the pre-school which caters for children aged from two and a half years, she said: "The list of activities is endless."

Seven members of staff are employed in the pre-school and after-school services and two contracts are not being renewed.

Mrs Wade is one of those leaving after devoting 43 years to the care of pre-school children. During her time in child care she has worked in both residential and day nurseries and with youngsters in Romania.