Children lose out in dispute over a patch of land

Youngsters at Bobtails Montessori Nursery in Adversane, Billingshurst, were delighted when a temporary fence was put up around a small area in a field next to the nursery last week - giving them a safe area in which to play.

But their joy was short-lived when staff discovered the next day that the fence had been removed, following complaints from neighbours.

Nursery owner Steve Wall said: “We’re talking about 12 young children playing there for an hour. It’s ridiculous really.”

He said the children would now have to play indoors. “There isn’t even a footpath where they could go for a walk,” he said.

Steve bought the nursery last September and said he understood there was an agreement in place with a local farmer that allowed the nursery children to use the nearby field.

“The temporary fence was put up because we wanted to protect the little patch where the children would play because there were animals in the field,” said Steve, whose daughter, a qualified Montessori teacher, runs the nursery.

Bobtails - which cares for children aged two-five years old - has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. Inspectors said in their last report that the “quality of teaching is excellent and so children thrive.”