THE controversial decision to close two day centres for disabled people in Worcestershire is to be investigated by a watchdog scrutiny group.

The decision earlier this month by Worcestershire County Council's Tory leadership to close the Pershore Care Centre, in Station Road, and the Perryfields Day Centre, in Midlands Road, Worcester, caused deep dismay among families of the disabled people for whom the centres have been a lifeline for many years, and was opposed by a 4,500-name petition of Pershore residents.

Now the decision has been called-in' for further investigation by the council's overview and scrutiny committee.

It was the scrutiny committee's inquiry last year into the planned closure of the Llanrug Outdoor Centre in Snowdonia that finally convinced the ruling cabinet to reverse that decision.

Speaking at yesterday's meeting of the full council, Pershore representative and scrutiny committee member Councillor Liz Tucker said: "I have asked for the decision to be called-in.

"It's a very important and very sad situation, and I'm sure that when people look at it more closely they will understand the council has taken the wrong decision."

The county council claims the day centre users will be better off using different facilities in Worcester and Evesham, and hopes to save more than £200,000 through the planned closures.

But the centres will now stay open while the investigation takes place - a process which could last several months.

Scrutiny committee chairman Councillor John Buckley promised his group would not be rushed into making a quick decision.

"We have to take off our political hats and keep a totally open mind," he said.

"We will look at all the figures, we will talk to the people and the officers concerned, and we will go out and visit these centres.

"Then we will make our recommendation."

John Bradley, whose severaly-disabled son Mark is one of the four men who rely on the Pershore centre every day, said he was "pleased" at the news.

"Our feeling all along has been that this decision has not been properly looked into," he said. "We have challenged it at every stage. I'm quite aware of what happened with Llanrug and it's pleasing to note the scrutiny committee will now look at this afresh."