When you reach the age of 90 and are living happily and comfortably in a residential home run by the local authority, you have every right to be able to expect to stay there for the rest of your days. You should not have to go on hunger strike in a bid to prevent the home being closed down.

Yet that is what Mrs Thora Falkingham has felt compelled to do following the news that Meadowcroft Residential Home, where she has lived for four years, is one of four being considered for closure by Bradford Council.

Her daughter says she believes Mrs Falkingham is using the only weapon at her disposal to fight against the plans. It is a scandal and a tragedy that she should consider it necessary take such extreme action, putting her life at risk, to make her feelings known. If she should suffer any serious harm as a result, the Council will have it on its conscience.

The proposal to close these homes has caused a huge amount of distress to the residents and their relatives. People cannot see why the authority should be considering closing them when they are full of happy people.

If there is such a pressing need to cut costs, the Council needs to look urgently at whether there are other ways of doing it to avoid prolonging the upset to people at a time in their lives when they need and deserve peace and security.