Elderly residents at a council-run care home who “fear for their lives and their future” have hired a top solicitor to fight against its possible closure.

Residents of Spa Court organised a meeting with Chris Kimsey, a representative of solicitor Yvonne Hossack – known as the Erin Brockovich of care homes.

Against the odds, Brokovich faught an American company to get millions in compensation for clients who suffered ill health after drinking contaminated water.

Ms Hossacks has stopped the closure of more than 80 care homes around the country and has done it for free. She said had she charged to represent those elderly residents, she would today be some £2m better off.

Residents fear their lives are in danger since Lambeth Council decided to cut down on the time wardens are on the site.

They now only work a few days a week from 9am to noon.

Norah Buckingham, 92, a wartime cook who served in the RAF during the Battle of Britain is one of dozens of residents at the home.

She survived being blown up by a doodle bug at Croydon Airfield and her husband, Ernest, was a prisoner of war for five years.

Mrs Buckingham, who has been living in Spa Court since 1989 – and who has been living alone since her husband died in 1998 – fears she will have to move.

Her son, John, said: “My mother and father served in the war and at the end of their lives, when they moved here, they expected to be treated with respect.

“My father has died now, but my mother never thought she would have to live fearing for her life and with the uncertainty of what’s going to happen next.”

Mr Buckingham said his mother suffered a stroke in 2004, when Spa Court still had a live-in warden, but her life was saved because the warden found her within minutes and called an ambulance.

He said: “If there hadn’t been a warden here back then, the stroke could’ve been fatal.”

At the meeting with Ms Kinsey on Tuesday, residents complained the council changed the warden system with no consultation and said they worried the care home was being run down on purpose so they could be moved elsewhere.

One resident said: “Most people are here because we are frightened of it being closed down. We want to know when things are going to happen and, more importantly, what’s going to happen.

One carer said the elderly residents all feared for their safety because Spa Court is vulnerable especially at night time.

She said: “Sometimes there’s nobody here at all and we’ve had a few incidents when residents had their doors kicked in. It’s very frightening for the elderly, frail residents.”

Mr Buckingham urged residents from other Lambeth care homes in the same situation to contact Ms Hossacks office and join in to make their case stronger.

A council spokeswoman said: “There are no plans to close Spa Court. The overall ratio of wardens to residents in our sheltered housing schemes is just over 40, with shared wardens covering all the schemes.

“This compares favourably with many other organisations.”