AN urgent investigation has been launched after The Northern Echo obtained evidence showing abuse of elderly people in a North-East care home.

Mobile phone footage shot at a privately-run care home in County Durham shows frail and elderly residents being goaded into shouting foul-mouthed obscenities at each other.

The Northern Echo has handed the footage to Durham County Council, the body responsible for supervising residential homes in the area, and an immediate investigation into the allegations has been launched.

The three-minute video appears to show a woman trying to incite a confrontation between a confused woman and a male resident in the lounge of the home.

She repeatedly persuades the bewildered pensioners to trade offensive vulgarities.

At one point, the fearful victim of the abuse pleads with her laughing tormentor, saying: "He will come after me", while a second resident tells the woman she is "making bother", but she then turns her attention to the male resident, trying to persuade him to retaliate.

The Northern Echo is aware of the identity of the care home at the centre of the investigation, but has chosen not to reveal it while the inquiry is ongoing.

Lesley Tickell, Durham County Council's head of adult care, said: "We always take any allegation linked to potential abuse extremely seriously and initiate a full multi-agency investigation in line with safeguarding procedures.

"It is our preference, in such situations, to work in partnership with care providers to safeguard standards. And, in this particular case, the home concerned co-operated fully with adult protection processes.

"The investigation is continuing but, in the meantime, we would like to thank The Northern Echo for acting responsibly and passing this information to us."

The Commission for Social Care and Inspection, which inspects all care homes, is being kept informed about the inquiry.

In the commission's last inspection report, it said the home, which charges residents more than £350 per week, was generally working well.

However, inspectors criticised its procedures for protecting residents and recommended staff be given further training.

Martin Green, chief executive of the English Community Care Association, which represents the care home industry, said: "Any home that is found to be systematically abusing residents must be closed so that their actions do not tarnish the reputations of the majority of excellent providers."

Annie Stevenson, who works on care home issues for Help the Aged, said the case was very disturbing.

She said: "This is an example of elder abuse, and elder abuse destroys lives. But it's still a hidden issue and we just don't know how much goes on.

"A full and thorough investigation of this evidence is absolutely vital."