A NURSERY in Calne threatened with closure has passed its Ofsted inspection just in time to safeguard its lifesaving lottery grant.

A fortnight ago Pauline Crane, owner of Angeline's Nursery, feared she would have to close the facility because of the costs involved in installing the second mobile classroom she thought was needed to pass the Ofsted inspection.

But Angeline's passed the inspection on Friday despite technical hitches which meant installation of the mobile had to be postponed.

The nursery has now fulfilled all the criteria it needed to secure the remaining £6,500 of a £14,500 grant from the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund.

The non profit-making nursery, in the grounds of Priestley School, needed to secure the grant by the end of this month or risk losing the £6,500 as well as having to pay back the first £8,000, which has already been spent on new equipment. It would have meant possible bankrupcy.

Mrs Crane is putting the lottery funds towards the cost of adding the second mobile classroom to the nursery's existing one.

The cost of hiring a crane for installing the mobile would have been prohibitive, so earlier this month Mrs Crane enlisted the voluntary help of soldiers from the Army's 47AD Squadron at RAF Lyneham.

The wet weather meant a temporary road needed to be laid to bring the crane on-site with minimal damage to Priestley School's playing fields.

However the temporary road the soldiers used was too light, causing their crane to sink. A lorry sent in to pull out the crane also got stuck in the mud, further ripping up the turf.

The soldiers have since apologised and attempted to repair the holes they made in the field, as well as paving slabs which got smashed in the process.

Mrs Crane said: "We still haven't got our extension, and if the Army can't do it, we can't do it, but I am delighted we have passed our inspection and secured the grant."

She hopes there will be enough money in next term's budget to be able to pay for another crane to deliver the new classroom in the summer, when the ground has had a chance to dry off.

"We have had fantastic support from parents and local businesses and I'm actually amazed that out of all that chaos we have got through this and come back fighting," said Mrs Crane.