TODDLERS were left charmed when they helped “magic” a rabbit out of thin air this week.

The pupils at Lawn Pre-School were celebrating the 40th anniversary of the nursery, with a special event.

As well as a magician, who had travelled all the way from Cheltenham, the 70 children enjoyed cake, games and glitter tattoos.

Angela Boorman, 36, a pre-school parent and one of the party organisers, said: “The children absolutely loved the magician. Because they are still quite young, it wasn’t intricate magic. But he made all the children wave their magic wands in the air so all the children magicked the rabbit.”

Set up in 1976 by a group of Lawns mums, the pre-school originally started in classroom huts behind Lawn Infant School.

After four decades being managed as an independent charity, the nursery will be taken over by Swindon Borough Council. By September, it will be party of Lawn Primary School.

Luisa Stokes, 43, chairman of the charity board that currently manages Lawn Pre-School, said of the change: “The children aren’t going to notice any difference. I think for the future it can only be a positive thing. The ties with the main school are going to be closer.

“On the ground, it’s not going to be any different. Everybody is quite excited about the future.”

Luisa said her daughter, pre-school pupil Amelia, was delighted by the party. “She has been talking about the cake, the party and her glitter tattoo.

“She was quite upset when I had to wash it off.”