An innovative new children's nursery and pre-school is set to open in Snarestone on the site of the village's former Alpaca Park Farm.

Evergreen Lodge on Main Street will not only cater for 57 children, aged 0-5 years - but will also create around 14 new jobs.

It intends to be a modern facility, being as carbon neutral as possible and based around natural resources.

The nursery has been set up by sisters Rachel Bird and Charlotte Saunders, who grew up in Snarestone, and who will be running it on a day-to-day basis.

They will be joined by Ashby couple Stacey and Carla Garey to complete the team of directors behind the new venture.

Rachel and Charlotte had a lifelong dream to combine their individual experiences within different fields and create a new childcare venture within the village where they spent a happy childhood.

They thought it the perfect opportunity to introduce a fresh, new childcare provision to an area they were already familiar with.

The nursery will follow EYFS Development Matters with a particular interest in the Curiosity Approach and In the Moment Planning.

Children will be encouraged to develop their imagination as well as build confidence, social skills and curiosity.

Carla says the directors took over the site when the Alpaca Farm and Tea Room closed last December.

She told Ashby Nub News: "Opening a business is quite difficult during the current economic climate, however, we understand the requirement in the area and we're all confident we can make it work.

"We don't think we'll have any trouble filling the places - our catchment area includes Ashby - and the demand has been huge already. Everyone who has seen the setting loves our location, our vision and the quirky little additions that make our setting unique, fun and interesting for the children and staff who will be part of it all.

"We are excited to be creating new jobs for apprentices, practitioners and managers. We believe the biggest challenge will be staffing and we will aim to build a strong, supported, motivated team from the onset, with our main focus being on wellbeing and development.

"We're keen to get people through the doors for interviews. This new venture will hopefully attract capable, motivated people."

The group behind the nursery have been working on it since January and are waiting on an Ofsted registration visit, with the hope that they can be open by September.

Carla added: "We've had numerous open days and it looks fantastic.

"We are being innovative, it's very nature-based, and we're looking at limiting plastic as well as trying to be as carbon neutral as possible. We've considered all the key things that will eventually make a big difference.

"But we are also taking a chance and hopefully filling a gap in the market during these quite troubled times.

"So, we want to give people a good reason to choose our nursery above other sites."