VILLAGERS have been praised after they pulled out the stops to get their pre-school re-opened after last week's storms - in the church hall.

Five children were in Edenfield Community Centre in Exchange Street, where the pre-school is based, when the storms hit on Thursday afternoon. The winds blew in a window, and the wall around it collapsed. The gales whipped into the building and ripped off half the roof, which landed on the car park.

The quick-thinking actions of the staff, and of Gary Bispham, owner of The Bizzy Plaice fish and chip shop, meant that nobody was injured. The youngsters were all led to safety in Gary's Market Street shop until their parents arrived.

Pre-school chairman Jon Rostron said: "Our staff should be commended on how they managed to safely escort the children from the site, during what must have been a terrifying situation."

On hearing about the damage, ward councillor Darryl Smith contacted Edenfield Methodist Church in Rochdale Road to request the church hall be used as an interim home for the pre-school. The church agreed, and after an emergency meeting with Mr Rostron, the nursery's supervisors Jean Plumb and Julie Leak, and parents on Sunday, all 21 pupils were back at pre-school on Monday.

Rosemary Trippier, whose three-year-old son Reece Griffiths is a pupil, said: "Everybody has been so supportive and everyone worked together which made it possible for our children to be cared for.

"I couldn't believe how happy and settled all the children were already, The staff are amazing, I don't know how they kept smiling through all that happened, but they did."

Supervisor Jean Plumb said: "The kids have been unbelievable with how well they've settled, particularly the five who were inside at the time, because it was petrifying for them. We're just thankful that nobody was hurt, especially when the window shattered."

John Ayres, of Edenfield Village Residents' Association, said: "We hope to have the community centre open again in a couple of months."