IT was heart warming to read Lesley Searley's letter concerning the Government's disgraceful attitude towards the elderly, especially the poor (EA Nov 28).

Here in Lancashire, the Labour-controlled county council are in the process of closing down 36 of their 48 care homes.

They claim that most elderly want to stay in their own homes. They provide no evidence of this.

They are going to evict vulnerable old people from modern, clean, secure and loving care homes, back to family homes that could well be inferior by comparison. Not one of the residents who share a care home with my wife wants to leave. They are dreading it. I nursed my wife for three-and-a-half years until my health broke down. Dementia is a cruel and stressful condition. The social services were fortunate in finding her a permanent residency in a wonderful home.

Care and pensions for the elderly were election promises that this government have broken. Just to rub it in, Tony Blair can find billions to wage war. No wonder we are angry.

ERIC BEINT

Burnley