A residential home for elderly people is to close after 17 years, leaving 28 residents looking for somewhere to live.

The Wish House care home in New Church Road, Hove, has been run by husband and wife team Amin and Cyndy Abdullah.

Mrs Abdullah said the home was closing for "personal reasons" but would not be drawn further.

The residents are aged between 73 and 99 and all 20 staff will lose their jobs.

The residents were told yesterday the home will close on August 25.

Mrs Abdullah, said residents, some of whom have been living at the home for the last ten years, would be transferred to other homes in the area in liaison with social services.

She said: "People have mixed feelings. It depends on the resident. They have different reactions.

"There will be a lot of support systems in place to help them with the move."

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove Council, said: "We were notified of the intention for the owners to close the care home.

"Our social services staff will work with the home owners and the staff to find suitable alternative accommodation for the residents."

Resident Mavis Blanchard, 84, said: "I am very distressed and upset about it. It's nice here."

Megan Rogers, 73, who has lived at the home for ten years, said: "I think it is pretty tough it should happen at all.

"But they have been very good to us here. They are wonderful people."

Mr Abdullah, 50, who was fighting back the tears, said: "We have grown up with them, looked after them, fed them, they have become part of the family. They are not residents any more, they are family."

Mrs Abdullah, 45, said: "Everybody is determined to make it as smooth as possible for them and to minimise further disruption for them. This has been a very difficult decision, the hardest decision we have ever made in our lives."

Queenie Barker, 89, said: "I am very sad. I shall be 90 next month and I thought this was my last happy home.

"I shall have to go into another home. I will try and make the best of it."