Health chiefs want to replace 30 beds with a 'supported care service', where community teams will care for people in their own homes. But almost 1,000 people have signed a petition against the proposals.

Fakenham town councillors tonight heard that a meeting to discuss the future of Cranmer House will not be open to the public.

The session, at Fakenham Racecourse on Thursday morning, will be restricted to so-called stakeholders.

Councillors agreed to send a representative to the meeting and request a public consultation over the changes, after hearing feelings are running high in the town.

Councillor George Acheson said staff had been told Cranmer House could close altogether - despite assurances that its day centre would remain open.

'It's very likely that the county council will withdraw the day care beds,' he said. 'If that happens, the day care centre will close. It is likely the whole thing will go.'

Mr Acheson said there were a number of questions which needed to be asked about the proposals.

Celia Lee, chair of the Friends of Cranmer House, has called on the North Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group to consider the long term impact of the closure.

In a letter shown to councillors at tonight's meeting, she warns: 'It can only be a deterioration in terms of the service offered.'

Beds at Cranmer House, on Norwich Road, are currently used for respite care for elderly patients.

But the clinical commissioning group believes some people staying in them could be better cared for at home.