'Don't put youngsters in sheltered flats'

Elderly residents are fighting plans to move three young homeless people into their sheltered housing.

The pensioners, some of whom are in their eighties and suffer from chronic illness, fear that raucous parties will shatter their sleep and relaxation. The youngsters will occupy a spare flat above the pensioners' communal lounge in St Barnabas Court, Harrow Weald.

Harrow Churches Housing Association said the three represented a "low risk" and it had a duty to use the flat, one of 36 in the complex. The pensioners said they were worried they will have little protection if their new neighbours let friends visit. A warden visits the flats during office hours and there is also weekend cover, but no live-in security.

The chief executive of the housing association said the young people will be living in a "self-contained flat" and "will have no use of the facilities at St Barnabas sheltered scheme".

D-Day veteran Louis Green, 85, a resident for nearly five years, said there were concerns about "loud music, drink and drugs".