AFTER 20 years Northlew Pre-School Playgroup has closed its doors for the last time.

The playgroup has been struggling for a while due to a reduced number of young children in the village and more mothers working full time.

Chairman Tony Hazell took on the job a year ago to keep the facility in the village hall going but he said the cost of electricity was more than what the playgroup was getting in fees.

'I hoped there might be some new mothers coming into the village,' he said. 'A lot of playgroups go in peaks and troughs and I thought this was just a bad stage but unfortunately it was not.

'We kept it going as long as we could but there was only one baby born in the village last year.'

He said with more mothers working full time, they required all-day nurseries.

'The playgroups that run for two or three mornings a week like this one have suffered as a result — it's just a sign of the times I suppose,' he said.

A year ago there were seven children in the playgroup but this had whittled down to two. Mr Hazell said when his son went to the playgroup in its early days there as many as 25 children there.

As chairman of governors at Northlew School, he was concerned that if there was no playgroup, there would be no feed through to the school.

'The only consultation in keeping the playgroup going this year is that we have provided a facility for five boys who left at Christmas to go to school,' he said.

Playgroup leader Shirley Maynard, who first became involved as a parent helper 20 years ago, said it was very sad to see it close.

'We have had some happy memories and seen a lot of children come and go. Let's hope that one day it may open again.'

Mrs Maynard was presented with a gift for her loyal service and a sale of the remaining assets and equipment was held on Tuesday, the proceeds of which will go to charities involved with young children.