FEARS over the future of a Crabbs Cross residential home are still rife, despite assurances from owners the Red Cross it will stay open.

Now the Bromsgrove and Redditch Community Health Council (CHC) has added its voice to those calling for the 16-bed Dorothy Terry House in Evesham Road, to remain open.

The health watchdog met last week and agreed a motion, put forward by county councillor Tom Wareing, expressing deep concern.

The CHC will now investigate whether there is a covenant left by the Terry family safeguarding the use of the building as a residential home for elderly people.

The CHC is to now approach Redditch MP Jacqui Smith about the situation and also contact social services to see what it could do.

A Red Cross spokesman said the organisation had moved 15 homes over to other care providers in eight years and was in the process of doing the same with its last four, including Dorothy Terry House.

Those homes were still open she said.