A FORMER Carlisle care home is due to go under the hammer.

Elizabeth Welsh House, Pennine way, will go to the highest bidder in a sale by hosted Manchester based Landwood Property Auctions, on behalf of Cumbria County Council.

The closure of the home had provoked protests in December 2017 when its 10 residents and 48 staff transferred to other facilities.

The starting price is £125,000 and bidding will take place on July 29.

The auctioneers describe the site as a "former elderly persons home, detached and two storey extending to approximately 15,026 sq ft on a site of 0.86 acres, with development potential."

At the time of its closure a spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: "There were only 10 residents occupying a 40 bed home.

"Staff, residents and their families were all involved in deciding where they wished to relocate to, and all moved to other Cumbria Care Homes in Carlisle.

"They will move into the new state of that art care home currently being built in Carlisle."

In response councillor Jack Paton, who represents part of the Harraby area, said: "I'm incensed about the plans. They've closed down Elizabeth Welsh and moved people just before Christmas."

Elizabeth Welsh was operational for more than 51 years but closed after reforms to residential care in the city were put in place.

A new £6m residential care home, Burnrigg Court, Burnrigg was opened in it place, July 2019.