A RESIDENTIAL home at the centre of a judicial review is to close after campaigners withdrew their challenge.

Relatives of residents at Stoneleigh Nursing Home, in Barnard Castle, were due to challenge Durham County Council today over the proposed closure of the home.

But the council announced yesterday that the campaigners had withdrawn their legal challenge and that the 41-place home would close and an extra-care unit would be built in its place.

It said it had considered a report which specifically addressed the human rights of the six residents who live at the home.

Relatives of residents at Stoneleigh have always maintained that the council failed in its duty to take into account the human rights of the residents. They said the council had not considered the right to respect for family life and home.

Last night, Sandra Worley, whose 89-year-old mother-in-law, Lavinia, lives at the home, said yesterday's announcement had left campaigners bitter. She said: "The fact that the council has looked at its decision again means to me that they have admitted they have not considered the human rights of the residents properly."

She said they were advised by their solicitor to drop the case.

Ms Worley said: "We will be looking at claiming back our legal fees. In one way we have won but it still means the home has to close."

The council said it had not admitted overlooking the human rights of residents but had double- checked that it had done everything correctly when considering the future of the home.