STAFF, residents and friends of a nursing home threatened with closure have launched a campaign to save it.

The Argus revealed yesterday that Montgomery House in Poets Corner, Hove, is to close next month for financial reasons.

Residents were in tears when given the news. It means all 30 of them have six weeks to find somewhere else to live. The closure also means 35 job losses.

Now campaigners have formed ARM - Action to Rescue Montgomery - and have started a petition calling for local support.

The 35-bed home in Montgomery Street, run by the Society For Housing The Elderly In Brighton And Hove, has existed for nearly 50 years.

Its management committee says it is no longer financially viable because of low authority fees and high nursing costs.

But an open letter has been sent to residents and their relatives by the campaign saying the closure decision is being challenged.

It says: "We are convinced that Montgomery is financially viable if efficiently managed.

"The staff will do their best to rescue Montgomery but we cannot do it without your support."

Residents are being asked to delay their move from the home for as long as possible while efforts are made to save it.

Bernadette Harris, of Hove Park Way, whose 79-year-old father-in-law Maurice lives in Montgomery House, said: "We cannot afford to lose this excellent home."

Staff were due to meet management of the home today to see if any way of saving it can be found.

They also hope to get more information from the management about the reasons for closure.

Care assistant Roger Owen said: "We feel that it is viable and we are showing some staff solidarity.

"There is still a considerable demand for nursing homes."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.