COUNCIL "Scrooges" have been criticised for banning Christmas gifts for care workers.

Staff at old people's homes which are threatened with closure say Darlington council added insult to injury by telling them not to accept gifts from the public this Christmas.

Carers at five council-run residential homes - due to close next year - are furious at what they say is a killjoy attitude by council officers.

The carers say they were told not to accept any gifts from relatives or friends of residents at the homes because it contravened council policy.

One staff member said: "We face losing our jobs when the homes close and now the council won't even let us accept a box of chocolates."

The worker said that in previous years presents were shared out among staff.

"They were gifts from residents' families for all our efforts throughout the year," said the carer.

A council spokesman, however, said it was common knowledge that staff were not allowed to accept gifts of any kind.

"We are not trying to be Scrooges at all," he said. "It has been policy for some time. This is not a new regulation we have introduced this Christmas."

But staff were not impressed with the council's attitude.

"For many of us this is our last Christmas at the homes and it would have been a nice gesture for the council to let us accept something like chocolates," said a carer.

"This council just seems to say 'Bah humbug' to the whole idea of Christmas."