RELATIVES were left wondering where their loved ones were when a care home was closed suddenly, it has been claimed.

The 17 residents in Great Harwood Lodge Residential Home were told they had two hours to leave when officials closed it on Saturday.

Representatives from the National Care Standards Commission arrived at the Edward Street home with an urgent closure notice issued by a magistrate.

Residents were transferred to county council-run homes, including Northlands - also in Great Harwood and earmarked for closure - and Woodlands, Clayton-le-Moors.

The 24-bedroomed home, which opened 13 years ago, is owned by Pamela Jackson. She said: "They left clothes all over the place and not all the relatives were informed. People were coming all morning looking for their relatives.

"They shut me down on Saturday afternoon. They were all crying and so were the relatives."

Today the home lies silent, with books and personal effects strewn around, but Mrs Jackson says she is determined to appeal against the decision.

Kathleen Benson, of Russell Place, Great Harwood, turned up to visit someone at the home on Monday only to find it empty. "When I got there she wasn't in her room. The owner told me they had all gone on Saturday. I was flabbergasted. As far as I understood if people have to leave they are usually given four weeks notice to find somewhere else.

"A couple came and wanted to know where their relative was. I couldn't believe it."

Norman Hickey, who campaigned against the care homes closure, saw some of the residents on a regular visit to Northlands on Sunday.

"I know one of the ladies and I went to see what was going on. They were in shock, they didn't know what was happening," he said.

Mrs Jackson, 45, employed 19 staff at the home.

"Every single one of them is out of work now," she said. I'm going to appeal, we have 28 days."

A spokeswoman for the NCSC,the care homes watchdog set up last year by the government, said issues of concern had arisen after an announced inspection in August 2002.

An unannounced inspection was carried out in February.

"We had actually been working with these people over a fairly significant time, pointing out issues of concern to us. We had given them time to rectify them and they hadn't."

Every effort had been made to inform relatives of the situation, she said.