Two arrested on suspicion of child neglect after safety concerns at nursery

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of child neglect at a now-closed nursery, police have said.

The arrests relating to Greenfields Nursery in Bridge Street, Blackwood, followed reports of health and safety concerns from Caerphilly council.

Gwent Police said a 49-year-old man from Cardiff and a 29-year-old woman from the Caerphilly area had been released on conditional bail pending further police enquiries.

Det Insp Gavin Wilkes said: "We understand that allegations of this nature are upsetting and working with partner agencies, we are conducting a thorough investigation."

Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) said it had been instructed by the care provider at the nursery to cancel its registration.

The independent regulator said it took initial action to suspend the nursery's registration on 20 October to "ensure the safety and wellbeing of children" and to "allow further enquiries to be made".

In a statement it said: "CIW understands this may be concerning for parents and carers and would like to reassure them that children's safety and wellbeing remain our priority.

"Parents and carers looking for alternative childcare should contact their local family information service."

Gwent Police said it was aware of posts and comments that had been made on social media about the nursery and asked people not to speculate while the investigation is ongoing.