PROTESTERS against Lancashire County Council's decision to shut 35 of its 48 care homes for the elderly took their campaign to the top and handed a 30,000 signature petition to 10 Downing Street.

They want Prime Minister Tony Blair, who earlier this year expressed concern about the plan in an interview with the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, to intervene.

The Lancashire Care Homes Action Group raised the petition after the Labour-controlled local authority announced the proposals in February. It effects 19 homes in East Lancashire.

The county council wants to concentrate on caring for people in their own homes and has said it can not afford to refurbish all its exiting homes.

Yesterday 80-year-old Len Griffiths, from New Manor Home in Longton which faces closure, handed over the petition at Number 10.

He said: "The decision would be a disaster for me. They must change their minds."

Present in Downing Street were Hyndburn MP Greg Pope and Pendle's Gordon Prentice. Mr Pope said: "The county council must scrap its hit list and think again. I hope that following this petition they will rethink."

Mr Prentice said: "This shows the strength of feeling and I predict that the council will have to change their minds."

Lancashire Tory MP Michael Jack and his party's shadow health spokesman Liam Fox were also there and highlighted the catastrophic effects the closures would have on not just the people themselves, but the local national health service.

Ribble Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans and Burnley's Peter Pike were unable to attend but both backed the protest.

Protesters Kath Shackleton, from Great Harwood, said it was not just the home closures that would be damaging. The loss of the day centre in the town, which her 68-year-old mother Kathleen attends, would have a devastating effect.

She said: "The staff are like part of her extended family. They should scrap the whole plan."

In Lancashire, two petitions are also being handed over to county council bosses in protest at the closures.

Coun Hazel Harding, leader of the council, received a 5,000 signature petition from people opposed to the closure of Cravenside home, Barnoldswick.

And the Mayor of Burnley Gordon Birtwistle is to hand over a similar-sized petition to head of social services, Coun Chris Cheetham, opposing home closures in Burnley.