A CHURCH-run pre-school is to close its doors next year after the number of children attending the service fell to unsustainable levels.

The Elm Ridge Methodist Church council voted to close the pre-school hosted in the church hall at the end of the 2015 summer term after “heartfelt and prayerful consideration”.

The pre-school playgroup was set up more than 40 years ago by parents in the congregation and operates five mornings a week with room for 20 children aged between two and four.

Although the number of children had been stable for many years, the Reverend Dr Andrew Stobbart, minister for Elm Ridge, said the group had been operating with an unsustainably low number of children since September.

In a statement Rev Stobbart said: ““It is with much sadness and after prayerful deliberation that Elm Ridge's Church Council made the difficult decision to close the Church's pre-school playgroup from the end of the 2015 summer term.

“The Church Council has given its commitment that until then the playgroup will continue to be resourced at a level which enables it to maintain the high standards for which it is known.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank both the playgroup’s staff for their professional and dedicated work and the parents and children who are and have been part of the playgroup community over the years.”

Rev Stobbart said the needs of families living in the Elm Ridge area had changed in recent years and, with a number of other early-years providers opening in the area, the number of children attending had dropped significantly.

He added: ““Like any other body which is a registered charity, the trustees of Elm Ridge Methodist Church have a duty to manage our resources in a sustainable manner.

“Elm Ridge has continued to subsidise the pre-school to a considerable degree through challenging financial times. Sadly, we no longer feel that we are able to do this.

“We recognise that this news comes as a disappointment to staff and parents, but we wanted to give as much notice as possible of the closure at the end of the summer term in order for the best decisions to be made for the children of the playgroup.

“All involved will be offered support throughout this time, and until then the good work of the playgroup in providing a nurturing environment will continue.”

The church said it is committed to supporting people in the local community and will be looking to expand its parent and toddler group, Tiddlywinks, which meets on Monday afternoons, and provide more services for elderly people.