Staff in strike threat as row over county's threatened care homes and pensioner day centres ramps up

Lancashire care staff are ready to strike if any of the county's under-threat homes and day centres are earmarked for closure, a union leader has warned.

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Protestors gathered on Preston's Flag Market to call for 10 Lancashire care facilities to be spared any threat of closure

UNISON general secretary elect Andrea Egan was speaking at a rally in Preston on Saturday staged in defence of five care homes and five daycare services whose futures are in doubt.

Lancashire County Council, which operates the premises - including the Grove House care home in Chorley and Milbanke home and day centre in Kirkham - placed them under review in October after the buildings were deemed to be in "significantly poor condition".

The prospect that they could ultimately close drew concern from residents, users and their families - and prompted uproar from opposition politicians.

The Reform UK-run authority recently delayed making a final decisionwhich had been due next month - over what to do with the properties, so that it could take more time to consider the 1,600 responses received during a public consultation late last year.