The legal fight by local councils in Lancashire to stop the closure of 32 homes for the elderly has taken a step forward.

Burnley, Chorley, Wyre, Ribble Valley and Preston councils want a judicial review of the decision by the county council to close the homes.

They say the consultation process did not take their concerns into consideration properly.

A "letter before action" noting the local councils' intention of legal action has now been sent to County Hall.

Own homes

County councillors met at the end of September to give their final approval of the closure programme.

The plans mean 32 of the 48 care homes in the county will shut.

Lancashire County Council wants elderly people to be looked after in their own homes rather than in local-authority run centres.

But residents' relatives say forcing them to move will affect their health and breaches human rights legislation.