A GROUP of elderly residents living at the Roebuck Gardens sheltered housing scheme in Sale are vowing they won't leave their homes without a fight.

The residents were called together by Trafford Housing Trust (THT) last Thursday and told they could be asked to move.

The Roebuck residents are aged between 60 and 98-years-old and some have lived there for up to 20 years. The previous oldest resident, who was aged 102 and had lived there for 33 years, died last week.

SAM spoke to residents during a coffee morning held every Wednesday in their communal area.

Grandmother Doreen Leary, aged 76, who's been living at Roebuck for nearly six years told SAM: "It's very upsetting, we didn't expect to be told this especially before Christmas.

"I want to stop in Sale, I love my studio flat and it's near to all the amenities. I'm only ten minutes from the town centre, the library and my local church are just down the road and three of my children live nearby.

"Everyone's very down and upset because they're wondering what's going to happen to them. Looking round the room Bill's been here 20 years, Ada 12 years and Hilda over 11 years.

"No one wants to move - the only way they're taking me out is feet first'. People are not going to go without a fight that's for sure."

She added: "12 months ago we got a leaflet telling us we'd get new windows in 2008 and we thought that last Thursday's meeting was about that.

"Then this woman from THT stood up and told us that five schemes could close including ours. The main reason we were told is that the government say we all need our own bathroom by 2010."

Fellow resident Bernard Ellis, aged 68, says he angry that shared bathroom facilities are being used as a potential reason to close the scheme.

He explained: "We all stick together, it's like a family here and we don't want to be moved around. I've got a lovely room with a kitchen and a toilet and a sink.

"The shower room is next door and that's fine and on top of that it was only fitted out a year ago. Roebuck is a lovely place - it's too nice to be knocked down."

Bob Harrison, aged 78, added that elderly people also feel safe at Roebuck. He explained: "I was 54 years married to the wife and when she died I was very down.

"Moving here really turned me around - you get fantastic help and support here. The important thing for people is that you feel very safe - the security is first class.

"We all want to stay - there's a lady who's 90 and they're talking about moving her, it's ridiculous."

Sale ward councillors Barry Brotherton, Jane Baugh and Roland Griffin have expressed their concern about Trafford Housing Trust's announcement.

The councillors are annoyed they were only told about last Thursday's meeting at Roebuck the following day and have labelled this a communication failure'.

Cllr Baugh said: "I'm very concerned about that, especially with an ageing population - we would prefer to see popular sites modernised rather than closed.

"We have already seen the closure of day care centres - the overall strategy for older care services in this borough concerns me.

"While making decisions like this I have to ask how closely THT are working with the council on future provision."