A 17-year-old boy has denied sexually assaulting eight children at a nursery and raping one child.

The alleged offences took place at Jack and Jill Childcare in Torquay, Devon, between 10 and 29 July 2019.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has also been charged with two counts of rape not related to the nursery.

He appeared via video link at Exeter Crown Court before Judge Timothy Rose to enter not guilty pleas.

The boy is charged with one count of raping a child, 13 counts of sexual touching against eight children and the two separate rapes which he is accused of committing between 2014 and 2015.

About 100 parents of children at Jack and Jill Childcare in Shiphay, Torquay, were contacted by police in November after a major investigation was launched.

The nursery closed after the owners resigned their Ofsted registration in January.

The teenager has been released on bail and a two week trial is set to begin on 21 September.