Villagers have launched a £100,000 fundraising drive to build a new pre- school.

The Hanney Pre School building, which is behind St James CofE Primary School in East Hanney, is only a temporary construction and has a limited lifespan.

So the volunteer committee of parents has set about saving up to build a new home for the school which takes 30 children from West and East Hanney.

Committee secretary Georgia Newman, pictured front with Phoebe, two, and Olivia, four, said: “It is not horrendous as we can still use it, but ideally, and what would be lovely for the village, would be if we could have a new building and secure the school’s future.

“It may not happen for another five years or so but we are getting the ball rolling.”

The committee raised £6,000 after an auction and ball at Hanney Memorial Hall on July 9.

Committee chairman Miri Brundrett, 41, said they had about £17,000 so far.

She said: “The pre school has been running for 20 years in the village one way or another.

“Within the next five or six years we will have to have a new building so we are fundraising so we have the funds available when that happens so we can keep it open.”

The committee is planning a quiz night and has also started to prepare applications for grants from local authorities.