A heartbroken mum whose daughter was at the centre of allegations made against a Poole nursery worker has told of the devastation wreaked on her family.

A storm erupted last week when it emerged that a member of staff at Down in the Woods pre-school in Merley had been arrested and quizzed by police in an investigation into an alleged sexual assault against a child under the age of 13.

But within two days Dorset Police announced on Tuesday May 26 that there was no criminal case to answer, the nursery worker was released from bail, and the police would take no further action.

The nursery reopened and other parents spoke of their relief and delight.

But for the family of the little girl who made the disclosure the trauma continues.

The mother – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – spoke out after other parents removed her as a friend on the social networking site Facebook.

“I just want people to realise we did what we had to for our daughter’s sake,” she added. “It’s been absolutely horrendous. Our family has been knocked for six by this.”

She said she had phoned helplines following the disclosure – and all had advised her to contact the police. Her daughter was questioned by officers with a camera set up in her house.

She said she had been prescribed Valium, and the whole family was in shock.

She added: “You have to act in the best way you can. I knew this would completely upheave our lives, I knew the effect on my family, and exactly how it was going to effect the person the allegations were made against.

“It was devastating having to do that, but at the end of the day, when a child come to you and says those things – we did what we had to do.”

“We did what – hopefully – any parent would have done in those circumstances.”