PENSIONERS living in a sheltered accommodation block fear they could be forced to leave their homes if a local housing association presses ahead with plans to close it.

The 36 residents at Hennel House, Beechwood Avenue, Walton-le-Dale, are fuming with bosses at Leyland-based New Progress Housing Association after being told their accommodation could close within two years.

Bosses at the King Street housing association say they are conducting a review of all their 27 sheltered housing schemes in South Ribble and say there are no plans to close other sheltered accommodation blocks.

Hennel House resident Doreen Atkinson, 75, who has lived there for three months, said she was "upset and angry" on hearing the news.

The pensioner moved from Scotland to be near her son who lives in Clayton Brook, Chorley, following the death of her husband two years ago. She has made lots of new friends at Hennel House and enjoys the comfortable and safe surroundings.

"I like it here. I'm settled," Mrs Atkinson said. "I wouldn't want to go and I'm very worried that some of the infirm or disabled people will have to go into a nursing home."

Alarm bells started ringing with the residents two months ago when the on-site warden moved out and was replaced by a mobile warden.

Mrs Atkinson said: "We had discussions with people at New Progress and they said they may close us down -- we are very angry."

A New Progress spokesman said: "We are facing a fall in demand for sheltered housing and some new tenants have not been happy with the scheme.

"We are not at a crisis point -- we are looking ahead because it is taking us longer to rent out properties at Hennel House."