A childminder has stepped in to save a pre-school after it closed suddenly.

Jo Spalding, 48, has taken over Sticky Fingers, now renamed Little Learners, in Vigo, which closed in December.

The mum-of-three applied to Ofsted to take over the management and reopen the pre-school, which has been running in Vigo Village Hall for decades.

She said: "I've been working in the childcare sector for more than 20 years, of which the last 10 I've been a successful childminder.

"When the news broke that the village pre-school was coming to an end, it was only natural for me to extend furthermore."

Jo, who has lived in the village for 21 years, said she started off working alone and her setting has expanded over the years, outgrowing her home base.

She continued: "I was inundated with calls from village parents crying out for childcare but I couldn't accommodate any more children with the room I had at home.

"I was concerned as there is also a huge shortage of childcare in the surrounding area. This has been a dream of mine for quite some time so it only felt right to go for it."

Jo said she hopes to have around 35 children at the nursery each day, adding: "The numbers are building every day. My inbox went crazy as soon as I posted my news on the local Facebook page.

"I'm so very excited but equally of course I am very nervous. The pre-school there before me obviously had an amazing reputation and I know this because my children went there when they were young.

"The previous owner and I have known each other many years and she is very happy that there will be a pre-school in the village again and has expressed that she is happy for me."

Jo said her application has been fast-tracked due to the shortage of childcare in the area, and expects her registration inspection in mid-February, for an opening date after Easter.

The nursery will be open to any family who needs childcare in Vigo and the surrounding areas, and applications will be accepted for all children who will be over the age of two on April 1.

She added: "I'm very excited for this new venture, and am looking forward to getting to know lots of new children and their families. I'm also excited for the children to get back to their pre-school routine with their friends."

The nursery will run Monday-Friday from 9am to 3pm during term times, expected to start from April 17.