Three private nurseries are under investigation and four members of staff have been sacked after a documentary raised concerns about the treatment of children, it emerged today.

BBC reporter Lizz Brown went undercover as a volunteer at the nurseries and found evidence of children being verbally abused, hygiene breaches and understaffing.

The nurseries in question had all previously been approved by inspectors from education watchdog Ofsted, the body responsible for guaranteeing nursery standards, the BBC said - although one had never had a full inspection.

In Nurseries Undercover: The Real Story, to be shown on BBC1 tonight, secret filming will show staff shouting at children.

The nurseries involved are Little Treasures, in Festival Way, Stoke-on-Trent, Petits Enfants, in Church Road, Teddington, and Bank House Day Nursery in Manchester.

Four members of staff have been sacked by Little Treasures, the BBC reported.

In a statement to the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Ofsted said it was investigating the nurseries and had issued or was in the process of issuing compliance notices to two.

"At this stage four members of staff who displayed inappropriate behaviour towards children have been dismissed and action is being taken against a fifth," it said in a statement.

Denied

The owner of Bank House Nursery, Frances Rivers, 52,has denied any wrongdoing and said she was 'disgusted' by the allegations.

'For short term voluntary workers, which the BBC reporter was, all we need is a name and an address so long as they are supervised at all times.

'The BBC reporter was supervised at all times. That is the policy of the nursery.'

Asked about allegations that minimum staff/children ratios were not always observed, she replied: 'Our staffing levels, which have been checked by Ofsted, are fine.'

Brown told Today she was left alone with children at all the nurseries even though she had not undergone criminal record checks, breaching rules.

In Stoke-on-Trent she was left alone with 15 sleeping children on her fourth day, while in Teddington and Manchester she was asked to take children to the toilet on her own.

At the Petits Enfants nursery she found the potty was not emptied between uses and there was nothing to hand to clean it with.

A staff member at the Stoke-on-Trent nursery was heard shouting at a crying 17-month-old: 'Don't even start. No. Not having it. Yes, you're making me a horrible person.'

Brown alleged the Manchester nursery had problems with understaffing and did not always follow rules on how many staff were needed to look after children.

She said concerns were raised to her that Ofsted inspectors felt under pressure to pass borderline nurseries in order to speed up the checking process.

The watchdog's practice of warning nurseries of the month that they would be inspected was also highlighted.

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