A pair of care homes have been closed down after claims suspected illegal immigrants were working with pensioners.

Social services, the Home Office and police swooped to close Carleton House care home and Glen Eden House, both in Worthing, after being tipped off by one of the workers.

The unnamed whistle blower was one of four women said to have been brought into the country illegally from Mauritius and kept prisoner at the homes while being forced to work for £450 a month.

The owners of the homes, husband and wife, Anbananden, 61, and Seenyen Chellapermal, 56, today appeared at Worthing Magistrates' Court charged with four counts of people trafficking.

Sources have told The Argus that Government ministers are worried the case could be the "tip of an iceberg" and that dozens of other illegal immigrants are working across Sussex, with more in other parts of Britain.

West Sussex County Council closed Carleton House care home in St Lawrence Avenue and Glen Eden House in Richmond Road tonight after initially putting their own care workers into them to look after the elderly residents who all have dementia.