A MUM is demanding answers after claiming she found her two-year-old child crying and alone in the outside play area of her nursery.

Mum-of-five Tracey Merritt said she arrived earlier than usual to pick her her daughter Valencia, but discovered the main room empty.

On searching for the toddler, she said she found her shut out of the building in a fenced off play area at Seven Trees Nursery, Whalley Street.

The council however have said that at no time was the little girl out of the supervision of her carers.

The Blackburn woman said that on complaining to the nursery after finding her daughter, managers told her the toddler must have wandered outside.

However she said the heavy doors would be impossible for a young child to open.

The 36-year-old mum, who has removed her child from the council nursery, said: “It makes no sense and the nursery were more concerned with blaming the doors than telling me how my daughter could have been left alone.

“I had only been using the nursery for a month and it was the first time I had ever been early.

“Then I saw her outside, with her face pushed against the glass, crying.

“I was asking the woman what on earth she was doing out there. The next day I had a meeting with the nursery managers, but all they did was thank me for bringing ‘problems with the door’ to their attention. They never asked, or allowed me to ask, the staff involved how she came to be alone.

Gladys Rhodes White, strategic director, families, heath and wellbeing at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said “The centre has a secure outdoor play area which the children use.

“Reassurances were given that at no time was the little girl out of the supervision of her carers. We don't like to see any of our parents upset and would be more than happy to speak to them again if they still have concerns.”