A SERVICE protecting the elderly and other vulnerable people in Bolton could be left in chaos by plans to alter staff's contracts, it was claimed.

Workers at the Careline emergency home alarm service say bosses will not be able to man late night shifts if they persist with plans to stop paying staff more for working anti-social hours.

They say bosses are already struggling to fill late shifts and that staff will be reluctant to work nights without the incentives of the current pay system.

The homes of around 6,000 disabled, elderly and vulnerable people are currently protected by Careline and are fitted with emergency alarms systems which alert a mobile team of staff when activated.

A spokesman claiming to represent 90 per cent of staff at the Adelaide Street-based operation in Daubhill said the changes could result in 'chaos'.

The man claimed the changes would result in the salaries of some staff falling by between 18 and 33 per cent. He added: "Staff are not prepared to work these hours and it is the vulnerable people who rely on this service that will suffer.

"It will end up with us having to wake relatives up in the middle of the night because we will not have the people to react to call outs."

Around 45 staff currently work for Careline, many of them on a part-time basis, manning the system for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Around 1,100 staff from Bolton at Home, the independent group which manages the borough's council housing, are believed to be affected by proposed changes to their contracts.

Unison convener, Janet Bryan, said: "Management have written to all staff at Bolton at Home proposing changes and that will affect Careline.

"We are taking part in negotiations and these are still ongoing."

A spokesman for Bolton at Home said: "We are currently undergoing a thorough consultation process with employees, with regard to proposed new terms and conditions, which has not yet been concluded. As with all organisations these negotiations are not held in public."