East Sussex County Council has expressed concern at legal action being taken against it to stop a care home being closed.

Officials said litigation involving vulnerable people was rarely beneficial to them.

The Tory-run authority has decided to close the New Moreton Centre in St Leonards, meaning eight long-stay residents will have to move.

One relative, Norma Dudley, whose 86-year-old mother Clara has been at New Moreton for seven years, has brought legal action against the council to stop the closure.

An application for an injunction was brought before the High Court last Thursday in an effort to stop the council moving the residents out.

The council brought forward the consultation and review period by two months, which Mrs Dudley claims left little time to make proper representations.

However, the council said in a statement that it was concerned about the action and its effect on the pensioners.

It read: "To keep the residents and relatives fully informed of the decision, we are going to deliver letters to them not only to keep them in the picture but also to reassure them that residents will remain at the Moreton Centre until mid-January next year.

"Because of the High Court action we have had to delay giving the residents and relatives that information but letters will be delivered shortly.

"The county council is concerned that this action has been taken by a relative of a resident. Litigation about vulnerable people is rarely beneficial to them.

"The county council would want to do whatever it can to avoid distress and uncertainty for the residents of Moreton and had already indicated that it is happy to meet with the relative and her solicitor to discuss this matter fully."