PENSIONERS at a residential home are being forced to move because the council property has been deemed unsafe.

The 33 residents at Syke House, in Burnopfield, will leave in the coming days after the council's Health and Safety officers found that fire precautions at the home do not meet current standards.

Council officers have promised to try to keep groups of the residents and carer staff together at a number of nearby homes.

The future of Syke House will not be known until a report into the residential home has been considered by councillors.

Director of social services at Durham County Council, Peter Kemp, said: "In the light of the recent report we have no choice but to move people to other homes. We can't gamble with people's safety.

"We are now asking residents and their relatives where they would like to move to and hope to complete this precautionary evacuation as quickly as possible.

"We have carried out a rolling programme of improvements to our residential homes in recent years, which has seen most of our 27 homes upgraded at a cost of £3.85m to meet higher standards."

He said the council had worked with the fire and health and safety authorities to carry out improvements at Syke House, which had still to be upgraded.

While arrangements are being made for the old people to move, the council will increase staff at Syke House.

Officers will prepare a report on the house including the costs that would be needed to fully upgrade the property in the coming weeks