Families fear the closures may be catastrophic for the pensioners, most of whom are in their 80s and 90s.

"We are all devastated," said 84-year-old Lily Parsons. "I don't want to move. I didn't sleep at all last night, I was crying with the worry of it."

Thirty pensioners now face having to move out of Heathvale, in Rudheath, and Willow View, in Barnton. Crewe-based CLS Services took over the homes from Cheshire County Council in 1991.

THE two Northwich nursing homes facing closure are losing over £100,000 a year.

That's according to Crewe-based CLS Services, which runs Heathvale and Willow View.

It claims the homes would need at least £300,000 worth of improvements to bring them up to standard.

Nick Dykes, operations director at CLS said: "There just isn't sufficient demand for residential care in the Northwich area to justify that kind of expenditure and we don't have the resources to subsidise any longer.

"The decision was only taken last Wednesday, we have been trying to work out other options during the past months."

But the news has shocked staff and pensioners, some of whom have lived in the homes for more than 10 years.

Now they are to be uprooted to other homes in the Northwich area.

Staff have been told by CLS that they will also be relocated.

Lily Parsons, aged 84, a resident at Heathvale, said: "Everything is beautiful here, it couldn't be nicer. It's like being in a family.

"Every member of staff is absolutely wonderful and completely dedicated. I feel sorry for them because they are not appreciated by those in charge," she added.

Jim Cairns, of the GMB union, which represents the carers said: "CLS has always known that at Heathvale there have been four bedrooms not up to standard, they've known right from the start.

"If they are prepared to uproot 30 people in the late stages of life when they could have avoided this by upgrading the homes, I don't think a lot of these people."

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