PARENTS of toddlers at a playgroup are kicking up a fuss after being told their children can t play outside because their dirty little shoes might scuff a new village hall floor. Now those who run Broom pre-school playgroup say the village hall committee

PARENTS of toddlers at a playgroup are kicking up a fuss after being told their children can't play outside because their dirty little shoes might scuff a new village hall floor.

Now those who run Broom pre-school playgroup say the village hall committee's attitude means they face possible closure after 25 years in operation.

The problem surrounds the new wooden floor that was laid at Christmas and to protect it the committee decided to bar children from using the garden area to prevent it being damaged by dirty footwear.

Last night (Wednesday) the parents were holding a meeting to see how they can get the village hall committee to change its mind otherwise they might me searching for new premises.

Gaynor Cheevers who lives on the Fairfield estate in Biggleswade and has a son at the playgroup, said: "This week we have had some good weather and it would have been nice to have allowed the children outside into the fresh air," said Mrs Cheevers.

"The committee wrote to the playgroup saying they were banning the children from using the garden from November to April.

"This is because they are afraid the children will walk sand into the hall and scratch the floor. This means the children are forced to stay indoors for the whole session instead of getting out into the fresh air."

Mrs Cheevers added: "The staff has offered to remove the sand from the garden and promised to take shoes off the children as soon as they come in and place them by the door on a plastic sheet.

"But this doesn't seem to be doing enough for the village hall committee. The committee is acting like they do not want the playgroup to use the village hall anymore.

"I feel it is a real shame the group is coming under threat. If they are forced to close then many of the children will suffer. This is a problem that affects the whole community."

No members of Broom Village Hall committee were available for comment by the time The Comet went to press.