A COMMUNITY founded pre-school in Wiveliscombe will close its doors for the last time today (Friday) after falling victim to increasing red tape and falling numbers.

Busy Bees was founded by Jackie Brannam and Gill Milton in the early 1990s and hundreds of two to four-year-olds have attended its sessions over the past two decades.

But with just seven children on its books this autumn, compared to 16 in the summer term, and problems recruiting suitably qualified staff, organisers have taken the difficult decision to close.

Busy Bees, which has been running four half-day sessions a week from Wiveliscombe's scout hut, employs two staff and is managed by a voluntary committee of parents.

Committee chairman since 2010 Julian Mellor said the pre-school had been the result of the community helping itself.

"The staff and committee members were all local and each new generation of children was recruited by word of mouth and recommendations between friends and families," he said.

But Mr Mellor said attendances had declined since the opening of the town's children's centre in 2008, while increasing levels of regulation by the Government and Ofsted, the official inspection body, had created staffing problems.

"Sadly the Ofsted requirements for staff qualifications mean that local experience and nurturing now count for little so we have found it harder and harder to recruit staff and that has broken the local link.

"At the same time, the needs of working parents and the convenience of the children's centre means that our numbers have been falling year on year.

"This term we have been losing money every week and when we were unable to find a new assistant manager with the right qualifications and experience we were faced with no alternative but to call it a day."

But organisers are determined that Busy Bees' achievements and legacy will be celebrated with a closing party expected to be attended by children, parents, volunteers, staff and trustees.

Lisa Bedding, who was supervisor at the pre-school from 2005 to 2009 said: "The community spirit started Busy Bees and kept it going for all those years.

"The children played so well together and we were able to nurture their imagination and creativity, helping prepare them for school life."

Mr Mellor said the children's centre was now the only provider for under fives in Wiveliscombe, with three independent local providers having closed in the last four years.

But he said some parents were planning to open a new pre-school community group in the town, run by parents and volunteers to keep costs down.