AN action group set up to defend residents of a nursing home scheduled for closure say it could take a month to set up a mediation panel to deal with complaints.

Stoneleigh Residents Action Group has held several meetings with Durham County Council's social services staff over the closure of the home in Barnard Castle.

In March, the council announced that the closure of the home had been brought forward from 2004 to this September.

Social services had initially expected to find an alternative site to build new care facilities for elderly people in Teesdale.

Because they have failed to find a suitable site, they will have to demolish Stoneleigh then rebuild on the site.

Residents now face the ordeal of being moved to alternative accommodation while the new facility is built.

Families of residents complained that they had not been adequately consulted.

An official complaint has been made by the action group on behalf of the residents, and now an independent mediation panel will be set up to look into complaints.

David Deacon, chairman of the action group, said: "It is good news that the panel will be set up but my only concern is that it could take over a month to set up."

The county council has vowed to continue seeking suitable alternative accommodation in Teesdale