More than 60 protesters took to the streets to call for Hargreaves House to be saved. Crowds of people gathered outside Accrington Town Hall to show their support for the respite care centre for people with disabilities.

The facility, on Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle, is one of eight homes for disabled people across the county under threat from cost-cuts.

Lancashire County Council is looking to make £179million worth of cuts and it is feared the facility could be closed.

The protests followed the launch of an Observer campaign calling on the council to keep the centre open.

Join our campaign to save Hargreaves House

Pamela McCullough, of Burnley Road, Accrington, whose disabled son, Matthew, 16, uses the service, helped to oragnise the demo.

Matthew, who has used the service for the past 10 years, suffers from Angelman Syndrome – a genetic disorder which means he can never live independently.

She said: "We had about 60 people outside the town hall with banners and we did some chanting.

"We got more than 700 signatures on a petition which was fantastic and it really showed the strength of local feeling.

"We have so far got a total of about 1,500 written signatures and about 320 online so it really is going very well.

"It went really well and we were very happy with it."

Supporters of Hargreaves House say that it is a vital facility that provides much-needed support for families looking after severely disabled relatives.

But council bosses say that the council needs to make savings of £179 million over the next three years.

A council spokesman said a timescale could not be put on the decision and the proposals were at an early stage.