A 103-YEAR-OLD woman is set to be one of the victims of a council's nursing homes closure plan.

Although Elizabeth 'Betsy' Thomas is blind, mute and almost deaf, staff at her home have had to relay the shock news that her home for the last 12 years may shut.

She is said to have understood and has been upset ever since at the thought of having to be moved into a private home, away from the friends she now regards as family.

Betsy is a resident at Lane Head House in Briercliffe Road, Burnley. She is Burnley's oldest resident ,as well as one of the county's longest living.

Lancashire County Council has recently announced it is looking at closing nursing homes across East Lancashire as it cannot afford the £14.5 million needed to bring them up to new government standards.

A worker at the home, who asked not to be named, said 90 per cent of the occupants were from Harle Syke and had relatives living nearby.

The threat of closure means they could be separated from their families.

The member of staff said: "Betsy has a son who is 80. He doesn't need all this upheaval just as much as Betsy.

"There is a big community feeling at the home and that will be lost if we close.

"Betsy has a lot of friends here and is very popular. For her 100th birthday we threw a big party. It will be hard for Betsy, she is a frail old lady, like a doll.

"All the clients are really upset about this."

Burnley MP Peter Pike said: "I am under no illusion about the size of the problem. These people do need care that is on hand for 24 hours a day.

"I have already questioned a number of issues. I find it hard to see where most of the people will go because a lot of the private nursing homes will be forced to close as well. They will not have the money available to meet the new requirements.

"The important thing is that while I have raised some queries over Government policy, this is a county review and the final decision will be down to Lancashire County Council."

Some of Lane Head's occupants: Marjorie Dent, 71, Irene Nadin, 80, Margaret Tumer, 71, Bill Starkie, 66, Veronica Summer, 96, and Edith Kippax, 91 have also hit out at the decision.

Marjorie said: "I hear all the time that the Government are giving to countries overseas and asylum seekers, but they are just dumping old people.

"We depend so much on this home. The staff are very good. We know that we can't do things for ourselves -- we need care."

Margaret added: "We have all paid our taxes and we are going to be put out in the street."

Irene said: "We have sold our homes and now we have nowhere to go. They are just treating us like cattle, putting us out into the field.

"I didn't choose to come here, I was forced by my doctor. Now they want to force me out."

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "It is not normal procedure to comment on the circumstances relating to individuals.

"If after the consultation is complete and there is a decision to close Lane Head House, social services will work with residents and their relatives to ensure that suitable accommodation is found.

"The County Council has made a commitment that residential care will continue to be provided for those residents living in county council homes, although this could be provided by a home managed by the private sector."