Dianne Bates, treasurer of Great Orton Nursery, is lobbying local MPs and ministers as the government considers reforms to early years funding and introducing 30 hours of free childcare a week for three and four-year-olds.

She has already gathered more than 10,000 signatures online.

Mrs Bates claims many nurseries and providers are already underfunded by the government’s arrangements for 15 hours a week of free childcare.

She says many charge more at other times to help meet the burden of increasing costs, which Mrs Bates fears will only get worse when the free entitlement doubles.

Mrs Bates, the retired headteacher of Great Orton’s primary school, says nurseries are also struggling to absorb a number of other financial factors. They include the introduction of workplace pensions and the aim to employ more teachers and other highly-qualified professionals.

Mrs Bates said: “We have to fundraise just to make ends meet and we shouldn’t have to. I know we’re not alone in that.

“We all want quality childcare for our children but when you’re limited by the amount of funding it means you’re often left with having to fundraise to provide extra resources.

“Our last fundraising paid for a slide and climbing frame but 50 per cent of what we raised went on salaries.”

Mrs Bates launched her petition after discovering that nurseries and childcare providers in Cumbria would see their hourly funding rate increase to £3.69 – a rise of around 40 pence – compared to the £38-plus some areas of the country could receive.

Mrs Bates believes that many could face a stark choice if changes are introduced.

She said: “They’ll refuse to offer it (30 hours a week) or limit the number of places they will have for it, or they will have close.

“It is just one body blow after another. This so-called fairer funding idea doesn’t seem fair to me.”

Mrs Bates has written to her MP, Workington’s Sue Hayman, raising her concerns.

The same letter has also been sent to Carlisle MP John Stevenson because Great Orton Nursery is in his constituency.

Mr Stevenson has forwarded it to the recently-appointed early years and childcare minister Caroline Dinenage.

Fears about the under-funding of the government’s 30 hours a week free childcare pledge were raised earlier this year too by members of the Carlisle and Eden branch of the National Day Nurseries Association.

The Government says it is increasing early years funding by investing over £1billion more per year by 2020 and that it wants to introduce a national funding formula to ensure it is distributed fairly.