A Northumberland nursery is raising funds to replace damaged resources, equipment and flooring after sewage-contaminated floodwater forced it out of its building.

The ground floor of Kerrie’s Cherubs Childcare in Blyth was flooded with 10 to 15cm of water after the town was hit with a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours earlier this month.

Due to the nursery being in a high flood risk area the excess on the setting’s insurance is £10,000. The nursery has secured a room at a local church hall from which is it operating temporarily under Ofsted’s 14-day exemption rule.

“It happened within 45 minutes, the whole ground floor of the nursery was in 10 to 15 cm of water,” said owner Kerrie Barratt. “We are absolutely devastated how ruined our nursery is. With it being sewage and rainwater all our floors have had to be removed and all resources can’t be used. There is tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage.”

The nursery has set up a Go Fund Me page to raise funds to support its refurbishment.