A NEW nursery for youngsters with hearing problems has been opened — after a deaf campaigner left £30,000 in his will to fund the project.

The nursery has been opened in the grounds of Thomasson Memorial School and has been named the Lilley Room, in memory of Frederick Lilley who was a member of Bolton Deaf Association.

Mr Lilley’s bequest will ensure that deaf children are getting the specialist education they need from a younger age.

The donation partially funded building work, as well as paying for fittings and the refurbishment.

Mr Lilley died at the age of 92, in April last year, and the money he left to the Heaton school paid for half of the costs of the new nursery.

Headteacher Bill Wilkinson said: “It is always a poignant thing when this happens as someone has died.

“You always hope they have had a good life, a long life and that is exactly what has happened in this situation.

“The money has helped fund a new building and contributed to the refurbishment.”

The nursery, which welcomes eight youngsters every morning, is for those with and without hearing impairments.

The facility works alongside the Butterfly Nursery, which educates children aged three and four.

Mr Wilkinson said that the nursery would enable children to receive the specialist help they need earlier in life — so they were more advanced when starting school.

He added: “Although I had not met him, he did attend productions at the school and came along to our centenary celebrations in 2007. He is very well known in the area.”

He said the school often received donations, with smaller gifts helping to fund school trips.

Currently the new nursery is only open in the mornings and has two staff — but there is a possibility it will expand in the future.

Tracy Fielding, from the nursery, said: “We have really needed a nursery for two to three year-olds. We already have one for three to four-years-olds. It will really make a difference in developing their communication skills.”