RESIDENTS at a Redditch care home have been relocated due to a £2.25 million redevelopment project to demolish and rebuild their old Webheath home.

The 35 residents at The Birches, Birchfield Road, have been moved to a former county council care home in Winyates which has undergone a £35,000 revamp in preparation for their 12-month stay.

The existing Birches will be completely demolished to make way for a new 60-bed home with spacious bedrooms and en-suite facilities.

The development is to be built by Worcestershire construction company Thomas Vale with an investment from Heart of England Housing and Care Ltd, which provides residential care for older people across the county.

The Birches' home manager Jacky Avins said: "To minimise any disruption on the day, the move to Winyates was planned with the precision of a military operation.

"More than 300 boxes were used to pack equipment and belongings and that was after we had taken the opportunity to have a good spring clean when we threw out a lot of things we didn't need any more."