Campaigners are calling on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to step in and stop the closure of care home beds in Cumbria.

The Carlisle Socialist Party has launched a petition opposing plans to close three homes in the city - Elizabeth Welsh House in Harraby, Langrigg House in Morton and Petteril House, Old Harraby.

Cumbria County Council, which runs the homes, says they are in poor condition and are under-occupied.

It instead wants to build a brand new, modern home in the city, but with about half the number of beds, reducing them from 117 spread across the three homes, to 60 in the new £6m facility.

Labour councillor Beth Furneaux, who holds the portfolio for social care, said the aim is to look after more people at home and focus residential care on those with the most complex needs.

But the Carlisle Socialist Party, which held a public meeting on Monday night to discuss the issue, believes it is a cost-cutting measure.

They now plan to write an open letter to Mr Corbyn asking him to take action to prevent the authority's Labour and Liberal Democrat alliance from pushing through the plans, which are currently the subject of a public consultation.

The group stressed it is not opposed to building new improved homes, but beds should not be sacrificed.

Brent Kennedy, from the group, claimed that county councillors are going against their own party ethos.

"With Jeremy Corbyn declaring Labour is now an anti-austerity party we should call on him to instruct Labour councillors in Cumbria to back down," he said.

It was agreed they would also write to Momentum - the force behind Mr Corbyn's successful leadership campaign.

During Monday's meeting, concerns were expressed about the ageing population and rise in dementia cases.

It was argued that this alone meant there would be the need for more care home beds in future, not less.

Bed-blocking at the Cumberland Infirmary was also a cause for concern, particularly with the Success Regime also planning to cut cottage hospital beds. Members highlighted the lack of support available in the community, and the lack of respite beds.

The socialist party has already collected about 500 signatures on its petition and members will be in Carlisle city centre again this Saturday.

The county council is also consulting on similar plans to close care homes in Copeland, again replacing them with one new 60-bed home.