A ROW erupted today after a local election candidate used a book of condolence for the Queen Mother to make a political statement about plans to close care homes.

Noel O'Brien, a former Labour Councillor on Rossendale Council and the area's only candidate for the Socialist Alliance Party in the forthcoming 'all out' May elections, said he felt compelled to make a point about the way the county council's review of care services was affecting pensioners and said: " Many old people in Lancashire aren't so lucky."

On the first page of the hard back black book he wrote: "What about all the old aged pensioners who are being kicked out of their retirement homes?"

He signed the message "Noel O'Brien, republican."

Mr O'Brien said Lancashire County Council's proposal to close 35 of its care homes could leave hundreds of pensioners seeking alternative accommodation. Mayor of Rossendale Conservative Coun Jimmy Grogan said he agreed with the statement but not the place Mr O'Brien had chosen to make his point.

Mr Grogan said: "If he wants to make a statement like that about the OAPs -- and I don't disagree with the statement -- the book of condolence is not the place for it to be written.

"Words can't describe how I feel. I am going to have a word with the chief executive about it right away.

"I am absolutely disgusted that someone should come out with such a statement in a book which pays tribute to a great lady no matter what anybody says.

"There are proper concerns about what is proposed and if he wanted to complain this is not the way to go about it."

Today Mr O'Brien said: "I just happened to be in the town hall and I saw the book and I thought the range of sentiments about the Queen mother should be expressed. On the day of her funeral I held a minute's silence for all the old folk whose lives have been affected by the proposal to close their homes.

"There are plenty of people out there who haven't lived privileged lives with all that money like the Queen Mother."

Labour leader Coun Graham Pearson said: "I think he should not be using this book to express his personal feelings. He is an ex-councillor and a candidate and he should know better. The book is not there for people to make political statements."

The council has still to decide what action to take. Chief executive Steven Hartley was not available for comment.