PARENTS whose children who attend a Gobowen nursery have expressed their fury at its upcoming closure at a meeting with North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan.

Staff at Gobowen All Rounders, next to Gobowen Primary School, were told by the school they have to leave the premises by the end of August this year.

Parents who attended the meeting at the gates of the All Rounders on Friday gave a number of reasons for opposing its closure.

Sophie Cutajar, a parent, said she wanted her daughter to get used to the surroundings.

She explained: "I am gutted for the main fact that my daughter is on the autism spectrum.

"She has been here for a couple of months.

"With the pre-school closing, essentially that is her routine that is messed up again.

"What I wanted to do was for her to come here to get used to the surroundings before going up to reception."

Ian Frazer criticised the lack of consultation by the school.

He added: "My eldest went to the pre-school here and moved straight on to the main school.

"My daughter Molly is very passionate about the whole situation.

"She wrote a detailed letter explaining how it is affecting the 84 families who are going to lose childcare.

"With the school's ethos on debating and giving the children a view in things, it has fallen on deaf ears.

"The lack of consultation with the local families in the school and the children was disgusting."

Bethany Blackburn said taking children to other villages will affect fuel bills.

She added: "There are other child care provisions in place but in different villages where there are fuel costs.

"It takes extra time.

"I am self-employed, time is money for me."

Ali Myers, a leader at the All Rounders, said the nursery has launched a fundraising campaign for both a temporary site for next September and a permanent site for after.

She added: "We want to be able to support the children best we can and that is why we are desperate to find alternative premises.

"We have a GoFundMe and a JustGiving open at the same time.

"If anybody wants to donate whether it is local people, people from Oswestry and the surrounding areas or businesses, we would be very grateful.

"We need to find temporary premises for September but we need to look long-term for somewhere we can keep for many years to come."

They were joined by the North Shropshire MP who tweeted her support after meeting with parents.

Mrs Morgan said: "Thanks so much to the Gobowen All Rounders parents and staff who met me at the school gates.

"Closure will have an undeniable impact on early years provision. I’m investigating what action can be taken."

You can contact Gobowen All Rounders via gobowenallrounders@gmail.com to find out details of their fundraisers.