Campaigners who have been trying to save local child care services in Wells are looking into setting up their own to replace the centre which shut down.

Members of the Save Polka Day Care group are in the process of setting up a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) with the hope of setting up a new childcare facility in Wells, following the closure of Polka late last year.

Helena Deakin, a member of the group, is leading the campaign to open the new centre as a not-for-profit charity called Little Gillies. “Gillies" are the local term for the small crabs children catch on the quay.

North Norfolk News: teffan Aquarone and Helena Deakin pushed pushchairs around Wells and Holkham as part of a campaign to restore day care services to the townteffan Aquarone and Helena Deakin pushed pushchairs around Wells and Holkham as part of a campaign to restore day care services to the town (Image: Supplied)

Mrs Deakin is hoping to turn this into a reality but knows it will be a struggle particularly following the recent budget announcements of “free” childcare.

“We have someone working on the figures taking into account the subsidised funding we get from the council per child along with the number of children that have expressed an interest in attending,” she said.

“We hope to hear soon if our business plan is viable and can then look at the next steps we need to undertake to set up Little Gillies”.

“I don’t want to raise the hopes of the community, but if we can make a sustainable business that will stand the test of time, then we will do everything to make it happen."

The closure of the Polka, which was run by Alpha Nurseries, has been ongoing since last year when news first broke of the closure.

It also gained attention from Lib Dem’s MP candidate Steffan Aquarone who launched a petition, after saying he was “embarrassed by the way the county council has handled this situation.”

He also pushed a pram 10 miles - the distance for those who live in Wells were asked to travel for alternative childcare.