THE future of a care home in Darlington is in doubt after its owners went into administration.

Ashleigh House, at North Road, is home to more than 40 elderly people with mental health issues.

The home offers respite breaks for people with learning disabilities, mental disorders and senile dementia and has a number of long stay clients.

The company which owns the home - Grosvenor Healthcare - went into administration in January. Administrators are confident that a deal to sell the home will be signed within the next couple of weeks, but Mark Burton, the local ward councillor has called for the centre's future to be resolved as soon as possible.

"My concern is for the welfare of the residents and their families as this must be a worrying time for them," said Coun Burton.

"I hope a buyer can be found with minimum disruption to residents and staff, who also face an uncertain future.

"It's a sensitive subject. The residents in the care home have disabilities and to find out that their home may be under threat saddens me."

Andrew Croft, senior manager at the administrators Deloitte, said a buyer has been found for the site but a final deal has not yet been completed.

"We are in the process of selling the home," he said.

"I note the councillor's concerns but we are at an advanced stage of selling and hopefully it will be done within short course.

"Nothing in life is guaranteed - until we have done a deal there isn't a deal.

"It is like selling a house. We have an offer that has been accepted.

"The people who are buying the home want to keep it as it is. Staff are well aware of the situation as we have been keeping them up to date.

"We are not at liberty to discuss who the buyer is until a deal is done.

"We are confident that it will be sold. We do not want to alarm anybody unduly and we are confident that it will be sold in a number of weeks time."

A spokeswoman for Darlington Borough Council said: "We have been working closely with the administrators and our understanding is that a buyer has been found for Ashleigh House.

"Residents, their families and staff have been informed of this and have nothing to worry about. We understand it will continue to be run as a going concern."