PLAYGROUP staff have made a fresh appeal for a new home after their hall was destroyed by arsonists.

Tithe Barn Tots in Westhoughton, which provides care for 40 children aged from 2 to five, has nowhere to meet after youths broke into St Bartholomew's Hall and set it alight in the early hours of last Monday.

Sharon Ward and her friend Sheila Hart, who have run the playgroup for 15 years, may move into a room at a private gym in School Street providing building work is carried out and they can get planning permission from the Council.

But in the meantime they have decided to cancel playgroup sessions after a meeting with an Ofsted representative and hope all the parents will remain patient.

They had appealed for help in finding a temporary room, but as the playgroup is officially not in existence, according to Ofsted regulations, this would have meant they could only provide two hours per day care and as they are no longer receiving funding from the council, they would have to charge for the classes.

Mrs Ward explained: "We don't want to start charging and just hope that when we set up again in a new building all the parents will stick with us.

"There shouldn't be a problem with childcare as most of the parents who bring their children to us aren't doing it because they work, but because they want their children to start to learn how to mix."

The pre and after school club which also used the same hall in Tithe Barn Street has moved into a building owned by the council's youth services department in Central Drive, but this is not suitable for the young members of the playgroup.

Anyone who could suggest a permanent home for the playgroup is urged to contact Sheila Hart can be contacted on 01942 811302