People left unwashed and unchanged, congealed food and staff in tears are among a catalogue of concerns about one of Carlisle's biggest care homes.

Watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that residents at Kingston Court, on Newtown Road, were often not getting the care they needed at a result.

Some days residents were having to wait until lunchtime to be washed and dressed - and in some cases not at all.

The private care home, run by Executive Care Group, is situated next to Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary and can look after up to 80 people of varying needs over three floors, including a specialist dementia unit on the top level.

The CQC carried out an unannounced inspection in December last year. The report, published this month, rates it as "requiring improvement" in all areas - including safety, care and leadership.

One of the biggest areas of concern was fluctuating staffing levels, leaving residents waiting for help or being rushed. This was particularly the case on the middle floor, where workers reported being "very overstretched".

Inspectors spoke to staff, residents and relatives during the visit.

The report said: "We received a number of negative comments - the majority about staffing levels on the middle floor, which catered for people with more complex physical needs.

"We saw numerous examples of people's call bells not being to hand and buzzers going off with a delayed response."

Residents told inspectors they didn't like to make a fuss so would wait their turn. Speaking about staffing levels, one resident told them: "It's bad, it's bad. I've seen staff in tears. There's been several times I've not been washed or changed all day."

Food was also an issue, with inspectors receiving mixed reports. One resident told inspectors: "The food is lousy. It's good food ruined. Jacket potatoes congealed on a plate, cheese omelette where the cheese isn't grated or melted."

The watchdog said there were also reports of food being served cold or luke warm, while some people didn't get the help they needed.

"We saw people were still trying to manage to eat half an hour after they had been given their food. Staff told inspectors they didn't always have the time to sit with people," the report added.

The home is now in the process of making improvements.

One staff member told the News & Star: "If we don't raise it, then nothing can change - and something needs to change."

A spokeswoman for the home said: "Although we were pleased to see that improvements since the last inspection had been acknowledged by the inspector, we were disappointed other areas were found to be below the level of excellence that we strive for and expect in our homes.

"The care of people in our homes is of the utmost importance to us and we are investing heavily in the infrastructure of the home as well as the people who work there.

"We continue to improve the facilities available to our residents as part of that investment.

"We are continuing to implement an extensive action plan to ensure Kingston Court offers our residents, and their families, the level of care we expect and they deserve.

"We will continue to work closely with the CQC and other relevant authorities to ensure that we address issues at Kingston Court and we continue to make the necessary improvements."