The family of a brain-injured man are fighting for his right to move to new bungalows with his friends when his care home closes.

Most of the 27 residents at Beechwood in Wyke, a council-run care home for adults with disabilities, are moving in March to a £2 million complex at Clayton Heights.

For many of them it will be the first time they can live in a place of their own, although the 'extra care' flats will have staff on site.

But four residents - including Michael Davingoff - have been told they may not be able to move with the others.

Bradford Social Services says it has concerns that four individuals, with the greatest care needs, may not be suitable for the new scheme, which involves more independence than the arrangements at Beechwood.

Mr Davingoff's brother Eddie said: "If Michael can't go with the others to the new development, he will have to go into a nursing home. At the moment he is extremely happy at Beechwood. He will be devastated."

Michael became disabled at the age of 16 after being hit in the eye with a cricket ball.

Now 57, he uses a wheelchair and suffers from regular epileptic fits and blackouts.

But his blackouts are less frequent now, thanks to medication and he has made good friends among residents at Beechwood, say his family. And although he needs supervision over a 24-hour period in case he does black out, he needs less help than others.

For most of his life he was looked after at home in Heaton by his parents, until their failing health meant he moved permanently to Beechwood.

All the residents have been closely involved with the planning of the new modern flats which are being built by Hanover Housing on the former Westwood Hospital site. The aim of the new scheme, which will be among the first of its kind in the district, is to allow residents privacy and independence while meeting their nursing and care needs.

Peter Kay, disability services manager at Bradford Council, said: "Although intensive support will be provided as part of the new scheme, it will be quite different from residential care. All residents at Beechwood have been through a careful process of assessment to determine whether they could manage in this new setting, and what level of support and care they would need.

"We are now discussing these assessments with the residents and families concerned. For one resident, there are serious concerns about whether the scheme would be appropriate and for three others there are concerns - but at this stage no decisions have been made and discussions are continuing."

He denied that there were financial reasons preventing Mr Davingoff moving to the new site.

Gerry Sutcliffe, Labour MP for Bradford South, said: "I am aware of this problem and I have written to Bradford Council asking that there should be a full case conference involving relatives, before a decision is made on this case."