An elderly woman has died after being forced to move from a nursing home in Gloucester because it had become too expensive.

Violet Townsend, 88, known as Cissy, was moved from Magdalene House to a home in Quedgeley on 6 February and died five days later.

This was despite a warning from her own GP that she was not well enough to be transferred.

Gloucestershire County Council has offered its condolences, saying it could not provide the funding necessary for care at Magdalene House.

We are very sorry to hear of Cissy Townsend's death Councillor Mark Hendry

The decision to move Mrs Townsend has been criticised by her family and the nurses who cared for her at Magdalene House.

Her sister-in-law Margaret Wilce said: "It wasn't our choice to move her - if we and her doctor had had our way she would not have gone, but the home put the fees up.

"Social services wouldn't pay to top them and we could not afford the �88.77 a week extra."

Mrs Townsend had lived at the home for eight years

Mrs Wilce's husband Jim added: "Her doctor said she should not be moved on account of her health but the DSS thought differently and she had to go."

Mrs Townsend was one of eight state-funded patients who had to be moved to avoid closure, said the Gloucester Charities Trust which runs the home.

Robert Dean, administrator of the trust, told BBC News Online: "Over time the difference between the cost of care and social services funding has risen to the point where we had to ask for more from the council.

"Moving these eight people avoids closure and means we can provide subsidised funding for five other people from sheltered housing," he added.

Councillor Mark Hendry, portfolio holder for adult care at Gloucestershire County Council, said: "We are very sorry to hear of Cissy Townsend's death.

"We were unable to pay the higher fees Magdalene House was asking for as this would have had a knock-on effect on other homes in the county."