A nursery has opened on an estate in Darlington.

The Parkside Neighbourhood Nursery has been opened by Skerne Park Community Enterprise Association as part of developments to improve the estate.

It caters for children aged five and under from 8am to 6pm five days a week.

The centre has a staff of ten and can look after 22 children.

Manager Barbara Wilby, who has 30 years' child care experience, said: "We have only just opened, but we have already got children aged from four months to three years coming here and more starting next week.

"We're also planning to provide play sessions for parents who want to bring their children along to mix and play with others. That will be available as and when possible, we will try to accommodate people's needs."

The association's treasurer, Marjorie Knowles, said: "The nursery is part of a Government initiative to provide day care in areas that wouldn't normally have private facilities.

"It complements the existing out-of-school and holiday child care provision on the estate, and will eventually be part of the new education complex to be built on the site of the existing junior school."