THE relatives of an elderly woman who battled against a bid to axe a council warden service say she would have died alone if it wasn't for her "guardian angel".

Ida Fegan, 90, who lived in warden-controlled accommodation in Eden Close, Coundon, helped set up a campaign to save the threatened service.

Wear Valley District Council has agreed in principle to scrap the system so it can cut the housing budget by £200,000.

Instead, the district's Crook-based mobile service Homeline would be used, which already provides weekend and holiday cover.

Ida died on Tuesday, before she could see the campaign through. But her grandson, Paul Fegan, said her death has illustrated what Ida fought so hard to prove.

He says his grandmother would have spent her last hours alone if warden Evelyn Greensmith had not contacted them and alerted a doctor.

Ida suffered angina for 11 years but over the weekend fell ill with gastro-enteritis.

Paul said: "She had fallen ill but didn't tell anybody. When her warden rang she recognised her voice and knew there was something wrong. That's something that wouldn't happen with Homeline.

"Evelyn contacted the doctor and stayed with her until they contacted me."

Margaret Taylor, friend of Ida and fellow campaigner, said: "When Homeline rang and asked her how she was, she said 'fine' and so the conversation finished.

"When her own warden Evelyn Greensmith came back on duty on Monday and made her usual phone call, Ida again said she was OK.

"But her warden knew she was ill because she knows her voice and went straight round after the phone call and called the doctor.

"Very often people of that age don't like to complain. This is the reason wardens are required.

"Ida is the reason I got involved in the campaign and her death has underscored the need for us to challenge the council."

Wear Valley's finance director Eddie Scrivens said councillors were being given information on several different options before they make a final decision in the autumn.

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