THERE is real and understandable concern among residents of an East Lancashire housing development over the proposed expansion near their homes of a psychiatric unit for patients detained under the Mental Health Act.

For they claim that potentially-dangerous people staying at the Kemple View facility at Langho are free to roam and abscond. And they feel that the risk that they already perceive to themselves and their families will be increased if the unit is extended to accommodate even more patients.

Clearly, there is a lack of trust between residents and the hospital managers -- as was shown by feelings expressed at a stormy public meeting over the planning application -- despite the existing liaison between them.

And evidently this has been reinforced by recent abscondings of people considered to be a threat by both the police and courts.

It may be that Ribble Valley Council can only judge the application purely on planning grounds and cannot let its decision be influenced by emotion, but, nevertheless, the residents' concerns must be a consideration in any decision.

It is, therefore, up to the council and the managers of the hospital to make sure -- to the residents' satisfaction -- that Kemple View can live alongside the community without causing it any fear or worry.