The boss of a playgroup rated "outstanding" by Ofsted has made the "crushing" decision to close after being unable to find a new home for the business.

Wiggles Playgroup in Sheerness, which employs 16 staff, has 56 children on its books and 30 due to start next year, will shut in December.

It has been based at The Delacey Hall, off Beach Street, since 2015.

But in February last year, its landlord, learning disability support charity East Kent Mencap (EKM), said it would not be renewing Wiggles' lease after September 2025, as it needed the building for its own uses.

In a bid to save the playgroup, owner Vicki McManus had worked with Sheppey-based Range Rovers Football Club on proposals to build a new facility at Seager Road Sports Ground in Sheerness.

She secured a £170,000 loan, in principle, to pay for a one-storey building as part of the football club's redevelopment plans.

But Vicki says due to the amount of time taken to get through planning red tape, the loan offer expired.

When the 48-year-old reapplied she was unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, she said the uncertainty over Wiggles' future meant the number of children attending, which had been as many as 100, with the same number on its waiting list, fell by a third.

The Minster resident says she has worked tirelessly to try and find another solution, including sending around 100 emails to try to save her business.

She told KentOnline: “It is a crushing decision and initially I couldn’t even speak, I was so upset.

“I had to say there is realistically no more I can do and that I have exhausted every avenue.

“I've pleaded with my landlords to reconsider but at no point has there been a conversation with me so that we could work together on this.

“I told my staff last weekend as I knew that they would be absolutely broken. They've not just lost their jobs but their relationships with some of the families.

“For some of them, it's a safe space and it's not just a job to them.

"You don't go into early years to earn money, you go in it because you love it and love children.

“What's really, really sad is that so many children, including a large proportion of SEN (special educational needs) children, in this area rely heavily on that support from Wiggles and my problem is, where are these children going to go?”

The closure leaves just one “outstanding” nursery on Sheppey – Queenborough Nursery in Edward Road.

There was widespread dismay at news of the closure with parents being told on Monday before a social media post alerted the wider community later that day.

It has resulted in a “Save Wiggles Playgroup” campaign, with more than 600 people joining its Facebook page.

Among them is mum-of-two Izabelle Holder, who told KentOnline her two-year-old son, who joined the playgroup in September, has been left without a nursery until the next academic year.

The 22-year-old, who lives in Queenborough, says she called all nine early years groups on Sheppey but none of them are taking on new children.

She said: “My son has come so far since joining. He has had huge improvements in his speech and his development and loves going there.

“He’s making friends and socialising. Where will all these children go when Wiggles closes because there is physically no childcare or nurseries available?”

“A big thank you Wiggles for the exceptional care and fun learning experiences you gave to both my kids over the years, absolutely gutted for you all…”

Meanwhile, a parent whose son and daughter attended the playgroup commented on social media: "Oh no. We are so sorry to hear this.

"A big thank you Wiggles for the exceptional care and fun learning experiences you gave to both my kids over the years, absolutely gutted for you all."

Wiggles was rated "outstanding" in December 2017 and November last year.

Around a third of the pupils had Special Educational Needs (SEN).

East Kent Mencap said not renewing the Wiggles lease had been a "very difficult” decision but said it needed the building "for the benefit of our members and to expand our support for local individuals with a learning disability”.

Vicki thanked EKC Group, CYC Costal Club and Thomas Holland for the time and money invested to try to save the group.