A PRE-SCHOOL which was kicked out of a church has been saved from closure after being offered a new home.

As previously reported in News Shopper, members of Belvedere and Erith Congregational Church in Picardy Road, Belvedere, have decided not to renew the lease of Picardy Pre-School, which has been running in the church hall for 55 years.

Pre-school owner Karen West thought the decision would mean the 100-pupil school would have to close for good, but she has now found a new venue.

In September, she will now move into the 9th Erith Scouts Group Hall in Erith Road, and children at the pre-school have held a party to celebrate.

Mrs West said: “It’s a very nice business that I’ve built up over the years.

“Unfortunately, lots of parents have now found alternative places for their children so we’ve lost quite a lot.

“But I’m very pleased and very optimistic with the new place.”

Mrs West said, despite the anger of parents and staff, the church would not talk to them about the reasons for the decision.

One parent, Mark Duneclift, told News Shopper the decision had been “a real un-Christian kick in the teeth for the community”.

Mrs West said: “There’s still been no comment from the church at all - they don’t want to discuss it.

News Shopper is awaiting a response from the church.