MORE than 40 parents, business owners and friends have helped revamp a pre-school.

Wantage town councillor Steve Trinder and his daughter Eleanor, five, were two who leant a hand at Charlton Acorns, near Wantage.

The volunteers pulled up old carpets and laid new ones, installed a new kitchen and created a new office and reading area.

The effort was organised by charity champion Ray Collins, who used £5,000 of money raised at Wantage Carnival in June. Mr Trinder, 53, of Charlton, said: “It looked fantastic. We can’t heap enough praise on Ray and his team.”

Acorns graduate Eleanor has now started at Charlton Primary School, but her brother Daniel, three, is in his second year at the pre-school.

Mr Trinder said: “He loves it. It is wonderful and the children progress smoothly on to the primary school.”