MORE than 50 elderly people are to be made homeless following the closure of another of Swindon's care homes.

It means that the residents' families must now find somewhere else for them to live, despite a chronic shortage of accommodation for the elderly in the town.

The Grange Care Home in Tadpole Lane, Blunsdon St Andrew, will close on May 28 with the loss of 40 jobs and 55 residents being made homeless. It will be replaced by a residential development.

The announcement has caused outrage among residents' families and staff.

David Sole, 64, of Penhill, whose mum Ethel, 87, is a resident at the home, said: "I'm worried about what is going to happen to my mother.

"There are 55 residents in the home. I don't know where they are all going to live there is nowhere for them . They all need special care and things are in a real mess now."

His wife Ann, 55, added: "I'm shattered because I don't know where else there is for Ethel to go.

"Many of the residents may not be quite with it but they will not want to lose their home.

"My mother in law has been unsettled in several homes but she was happy at the Grange.

"It is hard on the staff who are all so caring and trusted by the residents."

There has been a spate of nursing home closures following the introduction of new Government guidelines which mean that care homes must conform to strict rules.

This, coupled with rising house prices in Swindon, means that care home owners have decided to sell up and turn the land over to housing.

The planning application for The Grange is to demolish the building and replace it with 16 dwellings. Nigel Stuckey, managing director of Diva Care Ltd which owns The Grange, said: "Care managers, social services and families will be given every assistance in seeking alternative placements for residents.

"All staff will be made redundant.

"The company has no alternative but to cease providing care at The Grange, as they will no longer be able to provide a service of the required standard in the future, with the current funding levels and impending legislation changes."

Grange nurse, Val Watts, said: "I'm disgusted. Three of my family work here so we are stuck now.

"But all of the staff are more concerned about the residents.

"We can get other jobs but there are people who have been here for 10 years and people who are bed bound they can't be moved.

"There has always been a bond between staff and residents. We are a big family."