Residents face heartbreaking Christmas as Liverpool care home announces closure

• Video report by Ashley Derricott

The families of residents in a care home are facing a heartbreaking Christmas after it emerged the home is to close.

They now have just weeks to move their vulnerable relatives out of St Martin's in Liverpool over the Christmas period, with no option to view alternative homes due to restrictions.

Operator Maria Mallaband plan to shut the 42 bed home due to low occupancy.

Michelle's father John Hind moved into the home six years ago after a stroke left him too severely paralysed to be cared for at home.

"It was heartbreaking just seeing my dad upset, I had to tell me dad, I wanted to tell him I didn't want no-one else to tell him.

Due to restrictions Michelle will not be able to help comfort her father through the move. "Where last time when I moved him to St Martin's I was allowed to go with him, take all his stuff, decorate his room up.

"Where now I can't even go with him. They've said I can go in a separate taxi and take his other clothes and everything but I can't physically go in a taxi with him."

It also means other residents like 82-year-old Mary Connolly will have to find somewhere else to live. Paul Connolly, her son, said: "To all intents and purposes St Martin's is her home, she's got all her personal belongings there in her room so it's been an incredibly stressful time and it's going to be a big wrench for her to go."

There has been controversy over two recently council built care homes, privately operated on Merseyside which are already facing closure.

One local MP sees a crisis in social care unfolding. The solution she believes is an end to private provision. Paula Barker MP, Liverpool Wavertree, said: "We can't put profits before people, these are some of the most vulnerable people in our society and we know only too well that where social care is provided by public sector the staff are better trained, they're better paid, they have better terms and conditions."