TOYS, books and equipment from a nursery which is set to close will be destroyed rather than being recycled.

An attempt by the governing body of Blackburn's Kelsall Avenue Nursery School to distribute them to toddler groups and the local community has been refused by Blackburn with Darwen Council The nursery will close in January under plans to merge three nurseries in Little Harwood, Blackburn, as part of a £1.5million restructuring by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Diane Sleigh. of Pleckgate, chair of governers at the nursery, said: "The first we heard about the toys and books being skipped was at the meeting on Wednesday.

"A lady came in and asked us to move our cars because a skip was arriving and we wouldn't be able to drive for a while.

"If we hadn't have been asked to move our cars we wouldn't have known anything about it.

"We managed to save a few toys and books but have been told we cannot have them."

"The council won't let us take any of the toys for health and safety reasons.

"The caretaker was told to skip all toys that were more than two years old.

"If a bike's handle bars were slightly to the left I'm sure they would in any other circumstances realign them but now they are throwing them away."

Ros Wilson, who was acting head teacher but ceased to be employed by Blackburn with Darwen council at midnight yesterday, said: "Some of the pieces are broken and they should be destroyed but others can be sanded down, varnished and refurbished.

"They still have an educational value. I do not think teachers were even consulted about what should by destroyed or what could be saved."

On a previous occasion parents have taken their concerns about the closure of the nursery to MP Jack Straw when he chaired a monthly residents' meeting in March 2006.

A spokesperson for the governing body said: "We welcome the victory over Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council by the residents of Redearth Road in Darwen at the public inquiry and their subsequent victory at the judicial review hearing.

"We intend to follow a similar route to see if we can achieve similar victories on behalf of our school/community and the young children of Little Harwood and surrounding areas."

Coun Maureen Bateson, the council's executive member for children's services said: "We always aim to recycle equipment within the community or council, where possible, but in the case of play equipment for young children, health and safety has to be paramount.

"We have taken professional advice and the toys and equipment in question no longer meet modern health and safety standards."