A UNION boss today said Calderstones staff were working to the best of their ability to maintain security levels at the medium secure unit.

Unison local branch secretary Pete Hawkins said staff at the hospital near Whalley are demoralised by the situation at the unit but believe they do their best at work.

Nursing assistant Mr Hawkins said: "The people who work there at the moment are a dedicated team of staff and they work to the best of their ability and with the resources available to them to maintain security levels.

"The union, management team and Trust board are working together to improve all aspects of Calderstones life."

But Mr Hawkins said he did understand the concerns of parents living near to the site.

He said: "I have children myself and I understand the fear factor.

"But when the Kosovars came to stay in Calderstones there were 130 children living there and not one problem occurred."

A Lancashire Evening Telegraph investigation into security and the type of patients housed at Calderstones has prompted Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans to call for a review of security at the site and more information about the offences committed by people who are detained there.

The MP spoke out after it was revealed that people who have committed crimes such as manslaughter, child sex offences, arson and kidnapping have recently been housed at the site.

And planning bosses believe that families planning to buy one of the new Alfred McAlpine homes due to built just yards from the hospital have the right to know who their new neighbours are going to be.