The mother of a disabled child who was kicked out of a council meeting by police for protesting at the closure of an Oswaldtwistle care centre, says she was "shocked beyond belief."

Marie Kirk was ejected from the public gallery at County Hall in Preston after she insisted on questioning the leader of the council, Geoff Driver, about changes to respite care.

She was part of a group of protesters demonstrating against the proposed cuts to services as Lancashire County Council voted on proposals to save £179 million in the next three years.

Her son Jamie, 11, suffers from autism, ADHD and learning difficulties and stays at Hargreaves House in Oswaldtwistle every two weeks to give single parent Marie a break.

"I just wanted to support the centre," she said.

"The staff do an amazing job. I would be lost without them."

But Mrs Kirk claims she was "shouted down" before police were asked to intervene and four officers came to clear the public gallery.

Earlier this month, the Observer reported how eight homes across Lancashire – used by the families of 179 disabled people – were being threatened with closure.

The authority has also said it will move towards increasing direct payments to families so that they can manage their own budgets and care arrangements.

Hargreaves House has already reduced its opening hours by closing over Christmas for the first time last year and also shutting on bank holidays. Parents say they have been told this is to cut costs.

Around 70 people went to the full meeting of Lancashire County Council which approved proposals to close at least one of the centres, but it is not which one will close yet.

Several groups of parents have joined the Save Our Respite Establishment campaign to protest against proposed changes to respite care around the country, with an East Lancashire faction being launched.

Hyndburn and Haslingden MP Graham Jones said: "There were at least 70 people at the protest.

"There were severely disabled people and their carers who came to make a peaceful protest.

"It was quite shocking to see. I’m absolutely disgusted with the county council.

"They are hurting some of the most vulnerable people in society. Without this respite care I think some of them will struggle to cope. The consequence is that some will end up back with social services. In one way or another it’s not going to be a saving to the county council."

Lancashire County Council approved plans to close at least one of its eight respite care centres at the meeting.

Speaking to the Observer, Councillor Driver said: "Members of the public cannot take part in the council meeting.

"She wouldn’t accept his ruling and it was disrupting the meeting."

A spokesman for Lancashire police added: "During the meeting there was some disruption in the public gallery and police assistance was requested.

"The gallery was cleared of those causing a disruption, but no arrests were made."

County Councillor Chris Holtom, Chairman of Lancashire County Council, said: "The Full Council meeting on Thursday involved discussions on areas of the county council’s work that people feel very passionate about.

"We were very careful to ensure that there was suitable accommodation for members of the public, not only in the gallery but in an adjacent room with a live TV feed.

"We had two groups of people in the gallery – parents and carers directly affected by the proposals and a small group of protesters.

"It was the second group who caused me to clear the gallery. We will fully consider all comments we receive relating to the meeting."