DIRTY toilets, broken washing machines and no security have become a sheltered housing nightmare, residents claim.

Elderly and disabled people living in Aspinall Court, Chorley New Road, Horwich, say they have been left living in unsafe and dirty conditions by their landlords Places for People.

A list of complaints includes calls to check on residents reduced to just one day a week, while a a disabled toilet was left in filthy conditions and broken-down washing machine not replaced for more than a week.

The lack of security and care in the block, which is home to more than 30 people, has led to 72-year-old resident Carole Hill writing appeals for help to the landlords.

However, the great-grandmother-of-four says they have been ignored.

She said: “When I first moved in we had a full-time warden and since she retired six years ago the services had been thinned down and they keep chipping away.

“We feel like the forgotten building.

“Not everyone has carers or families who live nearby to check on them or come and visit every day.

“Most people have gone in there for security and families should know what’s going on.

“We are being treated like we are stupid but we are not senile. We just want to be treated with respect and stop being made false promises.”

Residents originally received individual calls five days a week to check on their welfare.

In April it was cut back to one day a week, with residents claiming at one point they went without a call for eight days.

Residents have alarm pull cords and personal alarm pendant but have been promised an electrical monitoring system which would detect when someone collapses or is injured. However, they are still waiting on the equipment to be installed.

A spokesperson for Places for People said staffing levels were reduced as Bolton Council funding been removed, but Aspinall Court regularly has staff on site.

They added: “The communal disabled toilet was out of service for a period of time as it required an extensive clean by a specialist contractor. The other communal toilet was available. Two new washing machinesare due to be installed in the next fortnight.”