A PROPOSED home for mental patients in Malvern Wells could house men with convictions for violence.

The statement comes from staff from private health firm Partnerships in Care (PiC) this week.

They were speaking at a meeting in the village hall, called by the parish council to allow residents to find out more about the plans for the former Sherborne Tower nursing home, in Hanley Road.

During the meeting, Paul Hendey, PiC's director of clinical service, admitted patients at the all-male home could include some with criminal records for violence.

But he stressed the the unit will not admit convicted sex offenders.

PiC executive director Barrie Crosbie said the inmates would be carefully assessed.

But many of the 70 or so residents who packed Wednesday night's meeting were sceptical about the firm's intentions.

More than one queried the firm's claim that it did not need planning permission because the use fell into the same category as the old nursing home.

After Mr Crosbie and his colleagues said the unit was "non-secure" and then described the swipe-card-and-PIN system which will be used to control residents' movements, several residents said that surely made it a secure unit, which would need planning permission.

Although several speakers said that from their own knowledge of mental health care, the unit's patients were unlikely to present a problem, many spoke of their fears and anxiety for themselves, for elderly residents and children.

Others criticised PiC for apparant failures to get to know the area, ranging from choosing a site next to the busy and noisy Three Counties Showground.

Even the choice of name, Abbey House, was criticised for being too easily confused with a local school.

At the end of the meeting, Mr Crosbie said he would welcome the formation of a liaison group of local residents, something he said had worked well at other PiC sites.