THREE elderly friends who were able to find accommodation together when a rest home closed with just 24 hours notice today spoke of how they had coped with the ordeal.

The owners of Scout Rest Home, in Waterfoot, Sheila Birt and her brothers Michael and Tom, went into voluntary liquidation last month, leaving the nine residents with a day to find alternative accommodation.

The residents of 35 Lancashire County Council care homes face a similarly uncertain future as proposals to close them are currently out for public consultation.

They may not be as lucky as the three female residents who had become friends while living in Scout and were able to move together into the Deerplay Rest Home in Heald Lane, Weir.

Ivy Smith, 78, from Oldham, said: "It was a bit of a shock when we were told Scout was closing and I felt sad because it was a nice small intimate home.

"It felt like a home because of its size and everyone was very friendly. I had thought I was going to stop there forever with my friends."

Her sons and daughter and grandchildren visit regularly and she said she had settled in well and was glad to still be with her friends.

Dorothy Kershaw, 91, formerly from Edgeside, was in hospital when the home closed and so joined her friends Ivy and Evelyn O'Brien a few days later.

Ivy added: "She is a bit confused now, but I always remember her as being full of fun. At least we were able to stay together."

Evelyn, 78, born and brought up in Whitewell Bottom, moved into Scout after she was widowed when she could no longer care for herself.

She said: "I liked living at Scout. It was a very friendly place. I like being with my friends. It was quite a shock when they said they were going to close the place and we had to move quite quickly.

"But I have my own room and I have been all right and they are friendly people here."

Care assistant Rebecca Upton, said: "We are now full and could not take anybody else .

"Ivy got confused at the start not knowing where her room was, but they have all settled in now and they did not seem to be upset at the move."

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