GAZETTE & HERALD: NURSERY boss Rosemary Ballard has re-opened her business in temporary accommodation just eight days after a blaze destroyed her premises.

Forest Nursery in Pewsham, Chippenham, which Mrs Ballard opened in October 1995, was gutted by the fire last Tuesday. It also caused extensive damage to the neighbouring Walters Lloyd and McFadyen veterinary practice.

Firefighters arrived at 1.48am to find flames hiding the roof of the single-storey brick building.

The roof then collapsed and the heat was so intense that the 18 fire fighters were unable to enter the building and had to tackle the blaze from outside.

Mrs Ballard said she was alerted to the blaze by her personal assistant, Beverley Smithers, who lives nearby in Fortune Way.

"Beverley rang me at 1.49am it's a time I'll never forget and told me that the nursery was on fire," said Mrs Ballard.

"I just sat on the bed and cried when I heard. But I got dressed and my husband and I got there around 15 minutes later.

"There were three fire engines and huge flames," she added.

"Neighbours living around the nursery told me they had been awakened by the sound of crackling and then a large bang, which turned out to be the electric extinguisher in the kitchen literally exploding.

"All we could do was stand and watch it go up in smoke it was devastating."

Firefighters finally left Pewsham at 7.15am. An electrical fault caused the blaze.

As well as the building itself, virtually all the equipment from the nursery was destroyed in the fire, including a new computer, toys and around 600 books.

Many of the 70 children on the nursery's books were offered temporary places at other nurseries in Chippenham.

"Everything is gone apart from the children's records which are only smoke damaged," said Mrs Ballard.

"But for me, the sentimental things have been the worse loss to come to terms with.

"A little girl called Blanche Smithson, from another nursery in Chippenham had visited us one summer's day and painted a beautiful picture which hung on our wall this was destroyed.

"And a clog which was a gift from a Dutch family and which we used to keep our pens in, is also just blackened.

"The staff and I have all been in a state of shock since the fire I cannot believe how much devastation it has caused."

Despite the huge material losses wrought by the blaze, Mrs Ballard has been determined to see her nursery rise from the ashes and yesterday she and her team welcomed the children back to temporary accommodation at King's Lodge School.

"At 4am on the night of the fire, I vowed to a friend that we would be up and running again by Wednesday and here we are," said Mrs Ballard.

"But I could not have done this without the huge support of my husband, my staff, the school and parents of the children.

"I heard that Mrs Ratcliff, the head of King's Lodge School picked up the phone and rang the local education authority at County Hall as soon as she heard what had happened.

"The school was meant to be having this mobile classroom removed this week, but they offered it to us within 24 hours of the fire, their kindness has been overwhelming," said Mrs Ballard.

"And on Tuesday, a family sent over boxes and boxes of toys , which was absolutely superb.

Mrs Ballard and her team have been replacing equipment as quickly as they can. But they still need a doll's house, a Brio wooden train set, books or wooden puzzles.

Anyone who can help can contact Mrs Ballard on 0780 3609118.