A school exams officer is leading a residents’ campaign against the conversion of a private house into a home in Steeton for five mentally ill people.

Alyson Robinson, who works at Aireville School in Skipton, has collected more than 60 signatures from people living in the streets around Station Road, where The Willows Independent Hospital has bought Greenhill for five of its female patients.

The house will be the second of its kind in the village after The Willows bought Ghyllside in High Street as a first “step-down” care home for four male patients last September.

The concept behind the homes is to give the Willows’ patients, who all suffer from mental illness, “supported community living”.

Mrs Robinson said: “The manager of the Willows, Sean O’Hanrahan, told Steeton with Eastburn Parish Council last year that there would not be another house like Gyllside put in Steeton but six months later he’s planning another one. How many more are there going to be?”

A spokesman from Craegmoor Healthcare, which runs The Willows, said the company was “...committed to ensuring the health, well-being and safety of its staff, users and neighbours.

“The new Greenhill service will enable us to provide the same support for five female adults.”