PLAYTIME can be carefully monitored from work after CCTV cameras were installed at a Hutton nursery.

Little Legs nursery, in Rayleigh Road, installed the system so doting mums and dads can keep a watchful eye at all times by simply going online.

The eight cameras were the idea of mums Jo Callaghan and Tina Lassman, who founded the nursery in November last year.

Mother-of-three Jo, 47, said: "We did it for three reasons – one is obviously security.

"Two is that we are very proud of what we do and we are quite happy for parents to see the children when they are here because it is such a happy environment.

"And thirdly, with Tina and myself being mums, we think it is important to look after the parents as well.

"We have first-hand experience of having to leave our children for work and it is very, very hard for parents the first time you have to leave them."

When children are dropped off at Little Legs, they are allocated a room in which to play, dependent on their age.

Those parents who wish to check up on their children can then enter a password, which allows them to log into the online "kid cam" system.

However, they will be permitted to do so only on days that their children are being cared for at the nursery and staff are able to monitor who is logged into the system at all times.

Jo, who lives in Billericay, said: "To the best of my knowledge, we are the only nursery in the borough which has this technology."

She also spoke about the other "unique" aspects of the nursery, which operates out of a five-bedroom house with a large garden.

"We are different," Jo said.

"The children get the best of both worlds because we care about them and they have access to beautiful facilities."

Jo and mum-of-three Tina, 52, have been friends for nine years, after meeting at an after-school netball match.

At present, they employ four staff, all of whom are CRB checked, and care for up to 30 children, five days a week.

The nursery looks after youngsters aged from three months up to 11 years and also hosts after school and holiday activities for older children.