CAMPAIGNERS fighting the planned demolition of a North-East care home have applied for an injunction to bring a halt to its closure.

Human rights solicitor Alistair Wallace confirmed that he had sent a fax to the High Court in London requesting an injunction to temporarily stop the closure of Stoneleigh residential home, in Barnard Castle, County Durham.

He said last night that he was confident that a decision on whether to grant an injunction, which would be served on Durham County Council if the application is successful, could be made within the next 48 hours.

The campaigners are applying for an injunction on the grounds that the council breached the human rights of elderly residents by planning to close the home.

Mr Wallace, of Tyndallwoods solicitors, in Birmingham, conferred with a barrister who specialises in community care law before going ahead with the application.

He said: "I've always felt we have a very strong case here, and the response from the barrister confirmed that.

"He said there was plenty of cause for a judicial review to be held.

"If we do get the go-ahead to serve an injunction on the council then that is a clear sign that the High Court feels there is a case to be heard."

The council has caused widespread uproar over its plans to close 16 of its care homes as part of a multi-million pound modernisation programme.

Relatives of residents at Stoneleigh, with the support of national action group for the elderly, Rage, have continually criticised the council's handling of the closure of the care home. They complained that consultation with the elderly residents was inadequate.

An independent inquiry was held into the handling of the closure, which rejected almost all of the complaints, but claimed in its report that the council had breached human rights.

Howard Pritchard, whose mother-in-law is one of the last remaining residents of the home, said: "The council has handled this whole affair badly and they must be held accountable for the mess they have made of this."

A spokesman for the council said that it was unable to make a comment until the outcome of the injunction application.