NURSERY staff are celebrating after being praised for their high standards of care.

The 22 member team at the Early Years Childcare Centre, Antelope Road, Woolwich Dockyard, beat hundreds of workers from around 500 other companies to win the title of Nursery Team of the Year.

Launched in 2004, the competition is arranged by a national magazine, which announced the winner on January 30.

The Woolwich nursery staff, who won a crystal trophy, had to prove they met criteria such as working within the community and building team spirit.

They were commended for the level of care, teamwork and commitment to training staff.

Nursery manager Deniz Goordyal said: "As a team, we work hard to provide a high-quality, affordable service for children and parents, so it's great to be recognised in this way."