LITTLE ones and staff are celebrating after raising £100,000 in eight years to refurbish their dated pre-school.

When Milldene pre-school playgroup, in Barbrook Lane, Tiptree, opened in the grounds of Milldene Primary School, in 1992, it was initially housed in a classroom.

But when the classroom was taken back by the school, in 2002, the committee which runs the pre-school bought a second-hand demountable.

But bosses soon decided it had seen better days and began fundraising, which formed the bulk of the final funding.

The pre-school was also awarded £10,000 in grants, including £7,000 from the Essex County Council Community Initiatives Fund and other contributions from Tiptree Parish Council.

Vanessa Hennessey, a organising committee member, said: “We cannot thank all of these people enough. Thank you so very much.

“Anyone who has visited the old building will agree that we have made a huge leap forward.”

The playgroup is part of the Tiptree Pre-School Playgroup, which runs three sites in the village.