Arthur Clark care home in Caversham provides care for up to 24 people, but Reading Borough Council has said it is not fit for purpose.

A public consultation is under way on plans for the home, which include shutting the site or upgrading the building at a cost of more than £1m.

A petition launched by relatives has attracted more than 140 signatures.

The petition, which wants to keep the home open, was set up by the family of Zoe Trinder, whose 93-year-old grandmother is a resident.

She said: "Many of the residents themselves are not in the position to stand up and be heard so we want to defend this case for them.

"We want them to listen to what we are asking them to do and look after the people we hold dearest in our hearts."

The council has said the care home does not meet standards required by regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

It does not have en-suite bathrooms, some bedrooms are small and the council has said communal parts of the building require "significant upgrading".

One option is to refurbish the care home, but the council's preferred option is to shut the site and offer residents alternative places in private accommodation.

However, no decision has been made.

A spokesman said: "The work required is so extensive that residents would need to move out while work was being carried out.

"The council appreciates that any move would be unsettling for residents.

"To keep disruption to a minimum, we have therefore proposed that we support the people from Arthur Clark to settle into permanent alternative accommodation rather than offer a temporary alternative and then expect people to have to move again."

The consultation runs until 14 June.