A village pre-school spent £13,500 on renovations - only for the builders to vanish without finishing the job.

Sticky Fingers, in Dark Lane, Sunningwell, near Abingdon, was left with a leaking roof and double-glazed windows with pools of water and condensation between the glass.

The charity-run nursery hired Abingdon-based Clad Line to renovate its building at the end of August on a two-week contract.

But work took longer than expected, the builders left half way through and the pre-school reopened a fortnight late, last week.

Staff also believe the building firm, which cannot be traced, used secondhand materials, rather than buying new items for the job.

Manager Verity Hollings- worth said: "They described themselves as property devel- opers but they just destroyed ours. They seemed professional and knew what they were doing. But they left us without a roof - I don't want it to happen to someone else."

Sticky Fingers has not been able to contact the company since workmen left on September 15, and staff believe the trading address they were given is false.

Miss Hollingsworth said the company was hired on a recommendation from a friend.

She added: "We have lost about seven children, because we couldn't open when we wanted to and the kids have lost about three weeks of learning.

"We want people to know we are a lovely pre-school - we need people to come and visit us and get the numbers back up."

The pre-school got help to finish the work from soldiers from 23 Pioneer Regiment, based in Bicester. The materials they needed cost the pre-school another £6,500, bringing the total bill to £20,000.

Thames Valley Police was called and the issue was referred to Oxfordshire County Council's trading standards department, which is investigating Clad Line's activities.

Trading standards officer Richard Webb said: "We're trying to find out who's behind the company as the phone numbers appear to be unconnected to the business."

Miss Hollingsworth is appealing to businesses and the public for donations to help meet the extra costs. Anyone who can help should call 01865 326946.

* For advice on ways to check a builder's credentials, call trading standards on 0845 051 0845 * Clad Line has no connection with Cladline Ltd, of Northern Ireland, now Fortress Contracts.