A battle by one of Britain’s oldest women to stop the closure of her council-run care home failed at the Court of Appeal yesterday.

Campaigning solicitor Yvonne Hossack, representing 106-year-old Louisa Watts, was told by two judges that there were no grounds to allow an appeal.

Lord Justice Sedley said: “If there were any firm findings that moving Mrs Watts would shorten her life the decision would be quite different.

“Mrs Watts is entitled to the full benefit of every day that still remains to her.”

But he said reports showed that there was no risk to Mrs Watts being moved out of Underhill House in Bushbury Wolverhampton to a new care home.

“Provided it is properly managed it should not do her any appreciable harm,” he said.

Lord Justice Sedley and Mr Justice Owen refused permission to appeal and lifted an injunction blocking Wolverhampton City Council from carrying out the closure. Ms Hossack, who has been involved in court cases preventing the closure of more than 80 care homes, was trying to stop the removal of the last nine residents at Underhill House.

The council, which says the home does not meet current standards and would cost £2 million to refurbish, gave an undertaking to the court that an impact assessment would be made on every resident to determine the affect a move will have on their life and health and how or whether that could be managed.

Widow Mrs Watts, a former hospital cleaner who moved to the home five years ago, at first went out with friends to bingo and fish and chip suppers, said Lord Justice Sedley. But she was now becoming more and more infirm and deaf.

Responding to the court’s ruling, councillor Les Pugh, Wolverhampton City Council’s cabinet member for adults, said: “Our first concern is to the residents of Underhill House and we want to ensure that we arrange the best possible care for them in the future.

“As soon as this decision was made today, we spoke to the nine remaining residents on an individual basis, and also to staff, explaining what it means and how it may affect them.

“Our staff will now work with the residents, and their families, to give them intensive support to help them find alternative placements which best meet their needs.

“We will also try, where possible, to enable friends to move to alternative accommodation together if they so wish.”

He added: “The ongoing uncertainty caused by the legal action has been very unsettling for both residents and staff and we hope that we can now move forward.”

Sarah Norman, Wolverhampton City Council’s director for adults and community, said: “Underhill House was built 40 years ago and no longer meets the national minimum space standards for a residential care home relating to room size and the need for en-suite facilities. “It would cost at least £2 million to make the necessary alterations to provide the quality of accommodation older people need.”

She added: “Our own experience, from the closure of a number of care homes in Wolverhampton, coupled with research across the country, shows that there is no reason why a properly managed move should have an adverse effect on the health and well-being of residents.

“We have already helped nine residents to move out of Underhill House and they are doing well in their new accommodation.”

Derek Watts, the 77-year-old son of Mrs Watts, said outside the court yesterday that all the residents of the care home were upset by the decision.