Protesters want the care homes to be saved

It follows the council's promise to reconsider the possible closure of Nant Silyn or Llys Madoc to save more than �1m over three years.

The leader of Wrexham council said it is looking at the whole care strategy and home closures are not inevitable.

But protesters say they are concerned that the homes will be lost.

The proposal to close either 29-bed Nant Silyn in Whitegate or 26-bed Llys Madoc in Plas Madoc and save �1m over three years was first made more than a year ago.

But following a storm of protest the council agreed to reconsider saying that like all the authorities in Wales, it is looking more broadly at the cost of looking after the elderly.

Demonstrations about the possible closures have already been held

Council leader Aled Roberts said: "We're not actually looking at an issue for the closure of one of our care homes.

"Obviously this is being looked at by all the authorities in Wales and with an increasingly elderly population there are great concerns that the current finances we have in place are not going to be sufficient to look after our elderly population.

"So what we are doing is looking at the whole of the care strategy for our elderly population.

"It's hoped we'll have a report for our scrutiny committee in April or May this year looking at all the options for the council to consider.

"That is, looking at the care package, the home care system in particular, extra care within sheltered units and the future where care homes are concerned."

Concern

But relatives of people living in the homes say that closure still seems a real possibility.

Bill Roberts' mother has been living in Llys Madoc for six years and he said he is very worried for her and the other residents.

"The review that they've brought in appears to have been just looking at how they will close it and not looking at other options... they haven't looked at any other alternatives to cut back anywhere else," he said.

The petition was organised by disability and elderly rights campaigner Ken Mack who said the care homes' residents were living with "the sword of Damocles hanging over them".

He added: "Until and when we get a change in the law I am very saddened indeed that this government never listened to 26,500 signatures I handed in to them in February 2004 calling for protective legislation that would stop this scenario.

"All over the county thousands of elderly people have been evicted from their care homes, many have died within days and weeks," he said.

A report on Wrexham's care strategy will be discussed by the scrutiny committee in the spring.

Research by the council suggests that by 2024 the over-85s in Wrexham will increase by 60%.