YOUNGSTERS at a flood-hit North Yorkshire playgroup are looking forward to moving back into their new home.

Staff and 48 children aged two to five years old were flooded out of the Fire Station Playgroup in Malton last month.

As reported at the time, the local primary school came to their aid, providing temporary accommodation while their classrooms were refurbished.

At the time Liz Parker, the head at Norton primary school, extended the hand of friendship from other side of the River Derwent and asked the playgroup to join them.

The school’s chairman of governors, Linda McCarthy, said: “There were several hoops to be jumped through in order to do this but Liz made it happen.

“It was a small act of kindness which has helped many parents and their young children.”

Mrs Parker said she had been able to move things around in her school of about 500 pupils to allow the playgroup children to use one of the school’s larger reception classrooms.

Now playgroup leader Jo Ogram said work was well under way getting ready to reopen to the children at the start of the new term on January 7.

She said: “The school has been brilliant letting us stay and we have been working hard to get things up and running for the children to move back.” Mrs Parker said: “It’s been lovely having the playgroup here, they had a really good time and to be honest they have been so quiet we have hardly known they were here.

“They are moving back into their own building in the New Year and hopefully it’s protected now from future flooding.

“We were just glad to be able to help when the call came, to be honest.”