CHILDREN from the Potters House Christian Pre-School said goodbye to their current home this week - without knowing where they will be in the next school year.

The pre-school has been based at the old Alderman Smith County Infant School building throughout this year. The building stopped being used when the school amalgamated with St Stephen's CE Junior.

It has been sold for housing, however, and now the Potters House faces an uncertain future. Proprietor Mrs Mary Mitchell said: "The pre-school will re-open in September, but as yet the venue is unknown."

Mrs Mitchell said they were looking for premises not just for a pre-school, but also from where they could expand to establish a new Christian infant school. The pre-school did make a bid for lottery cash to buy the Alderman Smith building but this fell through, and a housing developer has bought it.

Mr Keith Beamer, Bury Council's property services manager, said: "We did work quite closely with the Potters House in their bid, but sadly it failed.

"We have done all we can to make sure they could stay in the premises as long as possible."

This Wednesday the school held a service with parents to celebrate the time they have had at Alderman Smith.

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