THE son of one of 22 elderly people set to be moved when a sheltered housing scheme closes says he fears the upheaval could kill somebody.

Residents have been told Seaton Court - operated by Twin Valley Homes - will be demolished next January and they must move out by December.

Twin Valley says the closure is due to a lack of demand for the accommodation and it was not feasible to redevelop the site. It also wants to rehouse tenants in better homes.

But many people are unhappy with the circumstances. One resident who has lived there for three years accused Twin Valley of planning the closure for some time and neglecting the accommodation because of that.

The son of resident of eight years, who asked not to be named, said: "My mum found out on Wednesday and we got a letter on Thursday. She is just turned 80 and I should imagine she is very upset and worried .

"It will be hard for her as she does not want to move and it could kill somebody if the older residents are upset at having to move."

Seaton Court, on Fishmoor Drive, Blackburn, was built in the 1970s and was taken over by Twin Valley in 2001. It has 36 flats of which 16 are unoccupied with the remainder housing 22 tenants, including two couples.

Residents have daily contact from the scheme manager and they are in close proximity to a community centre, health centre, library and shops.

Twin Valley has said that tenants will get the pick of any Twin Valley homes that become available and that they will work with other housing associations to cover all possible opportunities.

But many residents are unhappy at being forced to leave their homes.

Eileen Mary Barker, 73, said: "In a way we expected this as there have been rumours for the last 18 months but it still came as a shock.

"They have neglected that place for so many years that it would cost thousands of pounds to repair. I want to know why they let people move in knowing what they were going to do.

"They have found me a bedsit in Crosby Road but I only have two weeks to move in because they want the rent from the start of March. I feel they are rushing me while it is still sinking in. They shouldn't be treating us like this. I was happy where I was. It was a nice flat and I knew if I went away it would be secure but there is no warden on site at my new place."

Twin Valley director of operations Gwyneth Sarkar said: "We are very sorry that Seaton Court is to close and are working closely with the tenants, their relatives, friends and other support agencies to help them settle into a new home of their choice.

"During the last few years we have found it increasingly difficult to maintain the standards that our tenants deserve. The closure is part of a long-term plan to ensure our housing services for older people meet modern standards and customer expectations."