THE hard work and patience of staff at a nursery school is to be rewarded with a special Royal visit.

Employees at the King David Nursery School, in Bury Old Road, can look forward to meeting Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, when she officially opens their new building on July 23.

Members of the management committee invited the Countess to perform the honour as a treat for staff after they endured a long wait for a modern building to replace their old accommodation.

Nursery provision has been situated in the grounds of the King David School campus, in Crumpsall, for many years but over time the portable cabin-style accommodation, which was only meant to be temporary, has deteriorated.

However, plans to replace the nursery, which caters for children from six months to pre-school age, with a more modern facility have received numerous setbacks.

But after five years of planning, the new state-of-the-art building was finally opened for business earlier this year and is now able to accommodate 120 children instead of the original 80.

Chairman of the management committee, Harry Sager said: "The staff have had to put up with the condition of the old building for so long and have worked very hard. There were times when we thought the new building would not come to fruition."

He added: "The Royal family is in Manchester at the time for the Commonwealth Games and I just wrote asking if Sophie could come to the nursery. I received a letter saying she had agreed and we are very flattered."

The Countess will visit the nursery, which takes a lot of pupils from the Prestwich and Whitefield area, for approximately one hour.

She will be greeted by the staff and given a tour of the building after which she will unveil a plaque.

This will be followed by a concert by the children who will perform songs in both English and Hebrew.

Nursery manager Louise Crawshaw said: "We have gradually started to tell the children about the visit and they are getting excited, as are the staff! The children are drawing pictures to give to her and we will present her with some flowers and sing songs."