MY mother who lives in Lancashire County Council's Hameldon House for the elderly in Burnley, was taken to hospital very ill last October.

She was put in a ward where 15 of the 19 patients were elderly.

I learned that five of them were there because they had no relatives to care for them.

The other night my mother had to go to the Accident and Emergency department after a fall. Another elderly lady was brought in.

After they were attended to, we were told that there was no bed available on the wards.

Fortunately, my mother was not seriously hurt and was able to return to Hameldon House.

The other lady, who was with the warden from her sheltered accommodation was also told no bed was available.

The warden said she would have to go back to the lady's house and stay with her because no relatives could be contacted. This would then mean that the control post at the complex would be unmanned.

If this is the sort of idea that County Councillor Chris Cheetham in charge of Social Services, has for more old people being cared for at home while closing residential care homes, then it falls flat on its face before it has even started.

It beggars belief that the hospital is stretched to the limit while we have care homes in Burnley that are running at 50 per cent capacity.

Hameldon House is a 22-bed residence and has only nine residents. The same applies at four of the five care homes in Burnley.

These are just two cases that I am citing, but the doctors and nurses say that this sort of thing happens all the time.

We have county councillors in Preston who tell us they oppose the closures of care homes and they are then reported as saying they wholeheartedly approve of Chris Cheetham's policy.

B M JOYCE, Coal CloughLane, Burnley.