HEARTLESS thieves tried but failed to ruin Christmas at a Hartford pre-school when children and staff decided to hold their nativity despite calamity.

The annual Christmas production came under threat when thieves stole lead from the roof and forced Sugar and Spice Pre-school to close just two weeks before the performance.

But staff rallied round to make sure the show went on, just four days after the group reopened.

Jane Corris, deputy supervisor at the group, which meets at Hartford Village Hall, said: “The children only had three practices but we were determined to go ahead.

“We’ve never experienced anything like this and we’re hoping it was a one-off.

“It’s a bad time of year but these things happen – it shows what times we’re living in when they can pinch lead off the roof.

“It could have ruined Christmas for the children and the parents.”

A total of 10 children, aged from two-and-a-half to four years old, were involved in the nativity, with only two of them having ever been involved in one before.

The performance, watched by an audience of proud parents, took place on Friday.

The pre-school had only reopened on Monday.

Two weeks before, staff had opened the village hall to find water everywhere.

Jane said: “There was water in the entrance hall but we didn’t really know where it had come from because other people use the hall as well as ourselves.

“There was water in the toilet area and the shower room was actually flooded.

“But it wasn’t until later that we saw water coming through the light fittings.”

The incident was reported to police and anyone with any information should ring Cheshire Police on 0845 458 0000.