Frail Gladys May will lose her home of ten years after a council voted to demolish it.

The 84-year-old, who lives at Larchwood Care Centre in Waldron Avenue, Coldean, Brighton, will be out by Christmas.

The process of moving long-term residents will begin in ten days.

The future of the centre, whose fate has hung in the balance for the past three months, was decided at Brighton and Hove City Council's adult social care and health sub committee last night.

It means a £2.3 million department of health grant specifically linked to the Larchwood site can now be unlocked.

Six councillors voted in favour of demolishing the centre to use the site for a modern complex of intermediary care flats. Two voted against and there were two abstentions.

The 1960s bungalow will be knocked down to make way for 37 flats for elderly people who cannot manage to live on their own but do not need round-the-clock care.

The centre is home to five long-term residents, 12 short term residents and provides day services for more than 50 elderly people.

The council says more than £70,000 needs to be spent on the building to modernise it. Redeploying staff after the centre is closed will cost about the same.

Last night Gladys's family said they were devastated by the decision.

Her daughter, Carol Fowler, 56, of Church Close, had voiced concerns a move could prove fatal for her mother.

She said: "It has just left us lost for words. We have tried not to talk about it in front of her but she still picks up on certain things.

"She will be quite distressed. When the ambulance comes to take her away it will be very upsetting for her."

Gladys's family say the only option open to them is for her to move to Birchgrove Nursing Home in Stanford Avenue, Brighton, but her room would be smaller.

They hope to be able look at other places but have not been told by the council where these might be.

Day centre residents will move to other centres while the work is being carried out but may have the option to return when it is finished in May 2006.

Conservative councillor Geoffrey Wells, who represents Woodingdean, voted against the demolition. He said: "Moving these people would be very traumatic for them. We should give very serious consideration to bringing Larchwood back into use. £71,000 is not hard to find. We have this £2.3 million carrot on offer for redevelopment and I cannot really go along with that."

A spokeswoman for the council said: "The proposed new development will be the first of its kind in Brighton and Hove.

"This may be one of the reasons the city was awarded this generous grant in competition with 100 other local authorities."