A CRÈCHE has told parents it will close after 22 years.

The Trinity Drop-In Crèche, based at the Trinity Church, Whitby Road, has been fighting for survival for months and was saved by a series of fundraising drives.

But bosses at the crèche now say it will close in a month.

A letter to parents read: “This is without doubt one of the most difficult letters we have ever had to write and we do so with heavy hearts.

“We are facing large rises in our utility bills, rent and staff salaries, none of which we are in a position to meet unless we can attract substantial financial sponsorship.”

The crèche at Trinity Methodist Church had proved popular with parents who could leave their children, aged up to five, in the capable hands of the staff for two-and-a-half hours each morning from 9.30am, Monday to Friday.

It charges £4.50 per child each morning but is not making enough to cover electricity and heating bills.

Danielle Woods, whose child attends the crèche, hopes a local business might step in to save it from extinction.

She said: “It’s really sad. I just can’t believe it.

“I’ve done quite a bit of fundraising for them. We did a bag pack, a tombola.

“It’s just out of the blue. I just wasn’t expecting a letter like this.

“My daughter is three so come January, she won’t be there anyway.

“It got really busy after the last bit of publicity.”

The crèche was handed a cheque for £200 to buy equipment for the children to plant and grow items after their supporters collected the most tokens in the supermarket.