HOPES that a residential home will remain open until its occupants are suitably relocated were dashed this week after staff were told that it would shut at the end of September.

Stoneleigh home in Barnard Castle is one of 17 earmarked for closure by the county council, which will build an "extra care" home on the site. But relatives and friends argue that the new type of home is inappropriate for the level of care needed, fearing that once moved out, residents could not return.

Angry at the way the move was being handled, with Shildon and Durham City mooted as options, several banded together to call a public meeting last month, at which an action group was formed. The group, which meets at the Glaxo Sports and Social Club tomorrow at 10.30, is campaigning to keep Stoneleigh open until a way forward - possibly involving the private sector in new building - can be found.

But several workers at Stoneleigh, who did not wish to be named, told the D&S Times that they had been told by manager Joan de Bues on Wednesday that the home would close by September 30. This was confirmed by a county council spokeswoman, who said the manager had been informed of the position and asked to pass the information on to staff.

This came as news to action group chairman David Deacon, fresh from a meeting with county council representative Malcolm Haddick, which also took place on Wednesday.

"Although the mood of the group is becoming more belligerent because of the lack of information, the mood of that meeting was of a positive nature," said Mr Deacon. "Mr Haddick gave the impression that if we pushed hard enough, we might get it to stay open past September 30."

In response, a council spokeswoman said they had been prepared to look at delaying the closure after being told by the action group that there was the possibility of a private development opening by January at the latest.

"If that had been the case, we were prepared to look at keeping Stoneleigh open until then. But after making inquiries, we found development was not going ahead and there will be no alternative by January. The redevelopment will therefore go ahead in September as planned and we want to work with residents and relatives."

Meanwhile the action group will carry on the fight at tomorrow's meeting, which will be addressed by a QC from Relatives' Action Group for the Elderly, which has financial backing from the union Unison.