THE clouds hanging over Rainbow Pre-School's future appear to have been lifted with news that its landlord, Dorset County Council, will no longer be selling its Highcliffe home.

The thriving playgroup is based in the now defunct youth club premises, originally built as a 19th century village school, in Lymington Road, and caters for more than 50 youngsters aged between two and five.

After the closure of the youth club, as a cost-cutting measure by the county council, pre school leaders feared they too had reached the end of the Rainbow.

But the council's property advisor David Crosby said yesterday (September 15) that the council had now ruled out selling the building and has instead decided to increase its use for pre schools.

"The points for keeping the building outweighed the reasons for selling," he said.

"We have identified a considerable shortage of pre and play-school places in the Highcliffe area and believe we can help meet this need by intensifying its use as a place for pre schooling.

"At the moment the education authorities are investigating the best way of implementing this."

Mr Crosby said the council would be discussing the future use of the building with Rainbow and promised that it would be involved in the decision making process.

The leader of Rainbow pre school, Lynn Newman, explained that the county council promised to allow the school to stay until the New Year, but added that she had heard nothing more about its long-term future.

Mr Crosby said he did not know exactly when more detailed plans for the future use of the building would be available, but he said he anticipated that it would be within the next few weeks.

First published: September 16