TALKS have begun with residents in Lancashire's doomed care homes about when they will be closed and where the pensioners will be moved to.

Lancashire County Council has held meetings at the care homes it plans to close in Burnley.

It is more than a year since Lancashire County Council first put forward the idea of closing 35 of its 48 homes. Initially, it planned to move old folk into the private sector with new cases being given home helps in all but the most extreme of cases.

But their plans sparked outrage across the community and led to a Lancashire Evening Telegraph-backed campaign.

Two homes in East Lancashire - one in Burnley and one in Barnoldswick - were reprieved, but the authority still decided it wanted to axe 32.

The backlash also resulted in the promise that no-one who wanted to stay in LCC care would be forced into the private sector.

High Court action against the closures by care home campaigners resulted in the county council promising not to move any resident who, it was felt, would suffer medically as a result.

A spokesman for the county council said: "There have been a number of meetings with residents in care homes in Burnley.

"Lancashire County Council will be consulting with each individual resident and their relatives through these private meetings which are being staged at care homes across the county.

"Residents and their relatives are being consulted first about the timetable of closures.

"Information will be made public once these consultations are complete."

By reducing the number of people it admits into its homes, the county council plans to gradually close homes after first remodelling the 16 staying open.

Cravenside, Barnoldswick, Lower Ridge, Burnley, Woodside, Burnley; Favordale, Colne; Olive House, Bacup; Grove House, Chorley; Woodlands, Clayton-le-Moors and Castleford, Clitheroe will all remain open.

Axed are Healy View, Chorley; Lanehead House, Hambledon House, Fir Grove, all Burnley; Pendle Brook House, Barrowford; Whinberry View, Cloughfold; Peel Court, Oswaldtwistle; Acorn Lodge, Accrington; Northlands, Great Harwood and Fell View, Longridge.

Meanwhile Coniston House, Chorley; Ebor House, Burnley; Wheatley Grove, Fence; Walverdene, Nelson; Ravensgarth, Helmshore; Brookville, Whitworth and Hill Top, Baxenden will be used for other purposes.