A NEW nursery has finally opened in Braintree at the third time of asking.

The Step Start nursery is now up and running after suffering a number of setbacks this year.

The facility was due to open in the spring but this was delayed by the outbreak of coronavirus in the UK.

Bosses were then left with a further headache when thieves stole the lead from the roof of John Ray House, which is where the nursery is based.

But it was third time lucky for staff as Step Start officially opened for the first time on Saturday.

Braintree Council chairman Angela Kilmartin was invited along to see the new nursery.

She said: “My children were in a church hall when they went to nursery.

There were no state-of-the-art facilities in those days.

“But this is a beautiful nursery and parents will be happy to leave their little ones in such good care.”

John Ray House, which is based in Bocking End, has previously been used as a gymnasium and a registry office for marriages in the past.