Parents of children at Lyneham’s Little Alberts Nursery face an anxious wait after it emerged there is a chance the Army are not taking it over.

The Army house a number of soldiers and their families at Lyneham as there is not enough room to accommodate them all at Hullavington.

They were thought to be interested in the idea of taking over Little Alberts on an interim basis between RAF Lyneham closing and the new tri-forces training base opening.

The nursery, along with the nearby creche and information point, have come under threat after the MoD indicated its intention to take back the buildings they operate from.

Mum-of-two Jody Nash is leading a group of parents campaigning to keep the nursery open.

She said: “We have heard unofficially that they aren’t going to step in. We really need to try and find a way of keeping it open because it would be terrible if the nursery had to close.”

Little Alberts has been open for more than 30 years but had to close one of its classrooms last year after the MoD took it back, leaving four members of staff redundant.

Now it wants all of the buildings returned, a move that would leave a further six staff jobless.

As recently as last year the pre-school was scored outstanding in all areas by Ofsted and parents are desperate to see it stay open.

Mrs Nash said: “We have started a petition and there are loads of paper copies going around the village, plus one online.

“I think if it is confirmed that the Army are not going to take it on we have to look at self-funding it through fundraising and grants.

"It would be possible but we would need to come to an arrangement over rent of the buildings.

“We could not afford the commercial renting costs but if there was an agreement we could come to I do think that self-funding would be an option.

“A facility like this would surely be needed in a couple of years’ time when the tri-forces base opens, so it seems pointless to close it, lose all the staff and then have to start it all up again.

“It really does need to stay open because they do such a fantastic job.

“All of the parents are behind this so we have a strong campaign going.”