FEARS over the security of this year's all-postal elections were today increased after nursing home bosses revealed voting packs had been sent to dead former residents.

Homes in Hyndburn revealed that votes have been sent to residents who have passed away. And the pattern has been repeated in homes across Blackburn with Darwen, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale where checks showed that more than 150 ballots have been sent to the dead.

The revelations have increased fears this year's all-postal pilot is not as secure as traditional voting methods.

Councils said that care homes should inform them when people have died. But East Lancashire peer Lord Greaves, a long-time opponent of postal voting, said councils should take responsibility. He said: "Months ago I was made a promise that places of multiple occupancy, like care homes, would have their postal ballots hand-delivered.

"It's quite clear that this has not happened. Also, if homes have told councils a resident has died, it is up to the council to pass that on.

"Care home managers cannot be expected to make six calls to the council to inform them someone has died."

Out of 10 homes contacted in Hyndburn, two said they had received voting papers for deceased residents.

Diane Webster, manager of Barnsold Cottage Residential Home, Blackburn Road, Oswaldtwistle, said: "We've had one or two, I just thought it was a mistake."

And Wellfield and Henley House, in Whalley Road, Accrington, confirmed it received three.

In the Ribble Valley, two homes out of 10 had also received the forms. In Blackburn with Darwen, one nursing home said votes were sent to eight, while Liz Wilkins, who is a member of a care homes committee, said a further six private nursing homes received over 30 postal ballot forms for deceased residents.

Ms Wilkins, owner of Queen's Lodge home in Blackburn, said: "It's a shocking state of affairs. Someone could have easily got hold of the forms and voted."

No one from Hyndburn Council was available to comment on the latest row. But other East Lancashire authorities all said it was up to the NHS, relatives or care homes to remove dead residents from a register of voters.

Returning Officer for Blackburn with Darwen, Phil Watson, said: "We are always concerned not to cause additional worry or anxiety to relatives following a time of loss.

"Names are only removed from the register when the Electoral Registration section is notified.

"Letters were sent out to nursing homes in August 2003 and none were received from Queen's Lodge Nursing Home."

But Ms Wilkins said she regularly updated the electoral registration and one resident who received a voting pack had been dead for 18 months.

Pat Bibby, home manager at Palace House Nursing Home, Padiham Road, in Burnley, said: "We have received four lots of papers for residents who died, including one who had passed on before last January."