CHILDCARE will be offered to even more Blackpool children after six schools and pre-schools gained funding for more places.

Day care, after-school places and a holiday club are all planned after Blackpool Council made grants to childcare providers across the borough.

A childcare place development grant means Meadow Kindergarten can develop an eight-place holiday club for school-age children at its nursery on Old Meadows Lane.

Langdale Preparatory School, Warbreck Drive, received a childcare place development grant for 20 places for school-age children at an after-school club.

Morning care for up to 36 extra children will be offered at Layton Methodists' Playgroup from September, thanks to a day care expansion grant towards building improvements at Layton Church Hall, Westcliffe Drive.

More after-school club places will be offered at Westcliff Primary School, Crawford Avenue, Bispham after it received a childcare place development grant.

Up to 24 morning places will mean full day care can be offered at All Saints Pre-School, Thornton Cleveleys, after the Valeway Avenue premises received a day care expansion grant.

And Anchorsholme School will create another after-school club for its pupils, based at All Saints Church hall, Valeway Avenue, Thornton Cleveleys, because its existing club is oversubscribed.

"So far Blackpool Council's Early Years and Childcare Team have awarded £56,000 to childcare providers so that the children of Blackpool have more facilities available to them," said a council spokeswoman. She advised other child care providers wanting details of available grants for developing childcare places to telephone Sue Flintoff or Paul Swindells at the council on 476739 or 476737.