A RAINBOWS group set up a couple of years ago in Witney to meet the high demand of girls wanting to join already has a waiting list of nearly 40 children.

Kelly Hale and Louise Kinchin set up the 3rd Rainbows group, based at Madley Park Hall, at the end of 2014.

The parents, who both live in Madley Park estate, have said the last year and a half has been "fantastic" with the group thriving every day.

The Rainbows group, for girls aged five to seven, was recently award a prize of £100 in craft vouchers after winning a Hobbycraft Easter Bonnet competition in Oxfordshire.

Mother-of-two Mrs Hale, 33, said: "The group has been going really well. Not to blow our own trumpet but it has.

"We started with 15 girls and we have 38 on our waiting list. I think when we opened a new one, people suddenly wanted to register.

"Two months after us a fourth one was even started at Queen Emma's school."

The Madley Park group was set up after the other two Rainbow groups in the area issued an appeal for volunteers due to there being more than 50 girls waiting for a place.

Mrs Hale added: "We have decided to take on three extra kids now.

"Since we started we have been on trips to Blenheim Palace and a Christmas trip to Roves Farm which was funded by councillor Richard Langridge.

"Some of the parents came along too and said it was the best trip they had ever been on.

"I asked the girls what they thought was the best thing about their time in Rainbows so far and one of them said it was when we made pizzas at Pizza Express."

Last week the group celebrated some seasonal success after they were crowned the winners of the Hobbycraft Easter Bonnet competition.

Mrs Hale said: "We have to go to Hobbycraft to buy supplies for our group each week.

"The lady asked why we were buying so much stuff and we explained we ran a Rainbows group so she asked if we wanted to enter the Easter Bonnet competition.

"They give us all the materials for free and we had to decorate an Easter bonnet.

"All the bonnets were displayed in the shop for a week and shoppers could vote for the one they wanted to win.

"I think they were quite pleased we won as it's always been won by the same group for the last few years.

"The girls were so excited. My daughter Gabriella goes to the group and she was desperate to tell people."

Madley Park Rainbows runs every Wednesday in the hall in Northfield Farm Lane.