PARENTS of disabled pre-school children on the Isle of Wight are reeling from a "bombshell" after the Red Cross told them they would no longer be able to use the charity's hall in Newport.

The shock move means that the Isle of Wight Toy Library Opportunities Group - which provides a pre-school club for children with special needs across the Island - has until February next year to find a new venue or it could face closure.

The club has been established on the Island for 30 years and provides a much-needed meeting place for parents with children who have special needs.

For the past 20 years, the group used the old Red Cross building in Newport which was called the Red Cross Toy Library.

In 1999, the group were moved to a new Red Cross building in Newport and told they would have to pay £1,500 per year to use the facilities.

Now, the Red Cross says they will have to get out completely as the charity wants to use the building to stage money-raising first aid classes.

Toy Library Opportunities Group treasurer, Mandy Ringer, whose four-and-a-half-year-old daughter uses the library, said: "It is a huge benefit and it would be a great shame if it was not there for other families. We were very surprised at the Red Cross. It came as a bolt out of the blue. It was a complete bombshell."

The group has been offered the use of the Red Cross Hall in Cowes after they leave Newport's hall. But Mrs Ringer says the new venue would be difficult for parents to get to. She added: "People come from all over the Island to get to Newport. One mother said it would mean she would not be able to come because of the difficulties of getting transport."

Walter Richardson, operations director for the Island Red Cross, said: "The Red Cross has supported the toy library for many years and we have enjoyed a good relationship with them over this time. However, demands for our first aid training have soared and we cannot turn away valuable income that allows us to carry out our work in the Isle of Wight.

"After much discussion, we have agreed to give the toy library till the end of February to seek alternative premises. We are also discussing with them the possibility of using the Red Cross centre in East Cowes as a location for their group."