TWO friends are hoping to open their first nursery if they are given the green light by Ofsted.

The education watchdog is due to visit the Bumble Bees Children’s nursery in Shadsworth Road today and the owners are hoping to open the doors in the first week in May if it is given the seal of approval.

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The new nursery has the capacity to take on more than 60 children and is set to employ around 10 members of staff.

Owners Tracey Mayoh and Lisa Saul took over the Old Redeemer Church Hall, which had been standing derelict since being damaged by fire, and spent around £30,000 on renovations and buying resources.

Blackburn Mayor Cllr Alan Cottam visited the centre at the end of last month when work to refurbish and convert the building had been completed.

The friends family members have been involved in transforming the old building and giving it a new lease of life and Tracy’s husband Paul will be working in the kitchen once the nursery has been opened.

Mum-of-two Tracey, 32, said: “It has been a lot of hard work to get to this point but it’s really exciting that we could be opening next month.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed that everything goes well for the one-day inspection and that we are given approval to open.

“A lot of work has gone into making the building ready for us to move into and we could not have asked for more supportive families.

“We have both saved up a lot to follow this ambition and it’s really good that we have got this far.

“The building is in the right location for us because we wanted to be connected with a community but easy for people to get to from work. It was in a pretty bad state when we took it over but now it looks completely different.”

Cllr Salim Mulla, who represents the area on Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “I’m sure that the whole community will get behind this.

“It will provide a valuable service.

“It is great that such a facility is being opened in my ward.

“I am sure that it will be a great success.”