Church ministers say urgent action is needed to stop the closure of rest home beds in Worthing.

They claim over the past three years the town centre and Heene area of Worthing, once dubbed Costa Geriatrica, has lost more than 25 per cent of its homes for the elderly.

A total of 226 beds had disappeared - more than the total number available at nearby Southlands Hospital in Shoreham.

The ministers said many pensioners had settled in a home where they thought they would end their days, only to have a move forced upon them.

In one case an elderly lady had been moved three times in six months, leaving her profoundly depressed.

The ministers, in a letter to The Argus, warned: "It is our impression closure (of rest homes) increases medical problems and in some cases may even hasten death."

The letter was signed by the Reverend John Chitham, the Reverend Mary Parish and Captain Howard Schnaar, of Worthing town centre's Parish of Christ The King.

They said: "We are writing as Anglican ministers near the town centre of Worthing about the grave decline in residential and nursing homes for the elderly in the last few years.

"We have become so concerned about the situation that we have conducted our own survey in our parish and just beyond.

"In this area 13 homes for the elderly out of 46 have closed between 2002 and 2005. This is a reduction of more than 25 per cent.

"The total number of beds lost has been 226 out of 935, fractionally under one quarter of the total. At present Worthing Hospital has 500 beds and Southlands Hospital in Shoreham 215 beds.

"Therefore, the loss of 226 beds for the elderly in Worthing means that we have lost the equivalent of Southlands Hospital in two years and no one has even noticed.

"And these are only the figures for one small part of greater Worthing."

The closures had resulted in frail pensioners having to stay in their own homes instead of moving into a rest home where proper care could be provided.

The ministers said: "Recently we had the example of Albert (name changed), a lovely elderly person who started to become confused and had falls.

"It was only because he had private resources and people to back him up when speaking to the social worker a move to a residential home became possible."

Many homes, unable to afford the cost of Government-ordered improvements to facilities, have been forced to shut, while the owners of others saw more money in selling the sites for flats. Some have changed to cater for those with psychiatric illnesses or alcohol problems, or for troubled young people.

The ministers said: "While there is a great need for this kind of care, the Government will pay more for these categories than the elderly. It results in discrimination against the very elderly, who are neither seen nor heard.

"In one case we know an elderly lady was forced to move, could not settle in her next home, and now is in her third within sixth months.

"The process has left her profoundly depressed. This story could be repeated many times. It is our impression closure increases medical problems and in some cases may even hasten death.

James Appleton, Worthing Borough Council's assistant director of planning control, said the council did not have a policy relating to the retention of rest or nursing homes.

However, the issue was being looked at during the drafting of a new local plan blueprint for the future development of the town.