PARENTS devastated at controversial proposals to shut a popular nursery will march to the Town Hall to urge councillors to back them in their fight to keep the centre open.

The protest against the proposed closure of Harvey Nursery in Great Lever will take place on Wednesday to coincide with the meeting of the full council. Bolton Council has put forward proposals to shut the nursery at the end of the academic year.

They say the nursery had an annual deficit of almost £68,000 which, says Bolton Council, is likely to increase with each year its says open.

Parents and Bolton Trade Union Council have started a campaign and the people of Bolton are being urged to get on board and show their support for the campaign — and have urged for councillor to invest in early years education.

Amy Norris, who has two children — Harry, aged 14 months and Lilly, aged two years.

The 32-year-old from Deane said: “I chose this nursery because the staff there are amazing, it is not the closest nursery to me. I went there and my brother went there.

“Harry was born with a condition affecting his head which can affect speaking and hearing. When he started he was not speaking, but now he can say mama and bye. He has developed so much. I can’t understand why the council want to close the nursery especially when they are spending so much in the town centre, early years education is so important and sets children off for life. It seems as if the council have got money for everyone else.”

Children will join their parents as they walk from the nursery wearing T-shirts with the slogan Save Harvey Nursery at 5.45pm to the Town Hall. Yesterday campaigners were were collecting signatures for their petition. They are urging people to contact Bolton Council and the their local councillor voicing their opposition against the proposals

Harvey Nursery, graded good by Ofsted, is the last early years centre to be run directly by the council. The proposals are now being consulted on with parents, staff and union representatives before a final decision is made.