AN East Lancashire nursery which has looked after the children of Blackburn Rovers soccer stars has closed amid allegations by the owner of financial irregularities involving its accounts.

Elaine Eastham told more than a dozen staff at Elaine's Child Care Centre in Brockhall Village, Ribble Valley, it would close during an emergency meeting on Monday night.

The team from the pre-school, which caters for up to 54 children aged between three months and four years, were told they had lost their jobs and that they would not receive salaries due to be paid yesterday. Parents of some of the 36 children enrolled at the centre arrived to find it shut yesterday.

Angela Howell, who had travelled from Clayton-le-Moors, with her two-year-old daughter Sophie, said: "I can't believe that someone would just not let you know what was going on. Luckily I do not work so I can take Sophie but some people who have children at this nursery have very responsible jobs they can't drop just like that."

Nursery manager Lisa Gillibrand, 25, said: "I've worked here for three years, I'm six months pregnant and there's three months until Christmas - you could say I'm feeling pretty bad."

Mrs Eastham, who also runs Elaine's School's Out and Holiday Club, in Accrington Road, Whalley, said she could not afford to pay staff their monthly salary. Her solicitor Louis Rebello said he was pursuing a potential claim on her behalf against another person, in relation to loss of money from the nursery.

He said: "The alleged misappropriation of this amount, which runs into tens of thousands of pounds, is being investigated by a forensic accountant.

"Her bankers advised Mrs Eastham they would not extend her credit, which meant she was unable to pay the wages. As far as she was concerned she couldn't continue to operate."

Mr Rebello said there would be a meeting about the future of Mrs Eastham's Whalley centre today.

Owner of the Brockhall Village development Gerald Hitman met nursery staff yesterday but his attempts to save their jobs by taking over the centre failed last night. Mr Hitman explained: "The childcare centre was leased to Mrs Eastham, who has now abandoned it.

"But re-opening it depended on the co-operation of Elaine Eastham and she's not prepared to give it."

Mrs Eastham, who is registered with the county council to run the nursery, said she made the decision not to co-operate because she was unable to get in touch with Lancashire County Council's social services department and wanted to check her public liability insurance would still be in order.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said he was aware of Mrs Eastham's allegations regarding the misappropriation of money but that no formal complaint had been made.

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