STAFF from a Bury nursery got two pieces of good news within a week — and a visit from a celebrity grandmother to top it off.

The Mulberry Bush was given the green light by Bury Council to extend its Stewart Street base to increase the number of children attending next year from 62 to 98.

Then, director Paul Robinson revealed children had raised £4,250 during a charity week for The Good Life organisation, which runs an orphanage in Kenya.

To celebrate, Liz Dawn, who played Vera Duckworth in Coronation Street, popped in to visit staff. Her granddaughter, Saskia Grainger goes to another Mulberry Bush nursery, in Sefton Street, Whitefield.

Mr Robinson said: “It was lovely for Liz to pop in. She was very complimentary about the charity work we do.”

He added: “It is a really exciting time for us. We regularly get outstanding Ofsted reports at our nurseries and we have a waiting list of children. Now we can provide places for 36 more, while creating seven new full-time jobs.

“We will keep inconvenience to a minimum for neighbours as the new building is pre-built and can just be installed.

“Hopefully, it will be up and running early in the new year.”