CAMPAIGNERS are battling to save a former Widnes care home – that was shut down by a health watchdog - as a facility for the elderly.

Around 200 people have pledged to protest outside Lilycross Care Centre on Wilmere Lane on Saturday.

Waving placards and banners they hope to highlight the need for care homes for the borough’s growing elderly population.

The 60-bed care dementia home had its licence withdrawn by Halton Magistrates in October after Care Quality Commission inspectors uncovered a catalogue of failings, branding every aspect of care ‘inadequate’.

Plans to turn the vacant building into an asylum hostel were submitted to Halton Council in August.

Halton councillors will discuss the application at a development control meeting on Monday, January 16.

Plans show the facility, known as Wilmere House, would provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers while Home Office checks are carried out.

After three weeks, those living at the hostel would be moved to a more permanent place to live or their application may be deemed unsuccessful.

The facility would be funded by the Government and operated by Serco which runs similar sites across the UK.

More than 3,500 people have signed a petition calling on the proposal to be rejected.

Protestors say they are opposed to the building’s use being altered as purpose-built accommodation is ‘desperately needed’ for elderly residents.

Campaigner Karen Forde, 33, from Farnworth, said: “We need this care home.

“There is a daily struggle with the amount of bed blocking at Whiston and Warrington Hospitals.

“Old people are living longer and getting dementia.

“If this care home goes where are people going to put their nans and grandads?”

Families of relatives who had to find new homes for their loved ones following the closure are pressing the council to retain the care home classification.

One woman said: “This home has perfect facilities and is in an ideal location. It was just badly managed. I’m sure new owners could transform it into a wonderful home.”

Another man added: “We’d move our relative back in tomorrow under new management.”

Inspectors discovered elderly residents were left in pain while waiting for urgent medication, devices used to crush tablets were filthy and heavily contaminated with grime and residents did not get their medicines.

Inspectors found 10 residents unable to reach their bell and summon assistance.

Halton Council identified 55 safeguarding issues, including medication errors and incidents of unexplained bruising.

The CQC was granted a closure order from North Cheshire Magistrates’ Court.

Karen added: “This home had been badly managed but we are focussing on the building.

“Once the change of use has been granted this care home will be gone forever.

“It’s an absolute crying shame, there is a dire shortage of care homes in Halton.

“We need the NHS to come along and run this properly. It would be perfect.

“The cost of keeping these poor old people stuck in hospital while social services find them a suitable accommodation is huge.

“The amount of money we could save by keeping this as a care home would be amazing.”

Halton Council does not comment on planning applications.