A CARE home for people with learning disabilities has been shut down amid a police investigation into fraud and ill-treatment.

Officers visited the 51 Deepdene Avenue home in Dorking along with social services on Monday, August 16.

A police spokesman said: "Surrey Police is investigating allegations around the running of a care home in Dorking.

"Five people have been arrested in connection with the investigation and are on police bail until October 2.

"Officers are working closely with Surrey County Council and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and the investigation is still in its early stages."

Four men, aged 28, 39, 38, and 38, and a 29-year-old woman, were arrested on suspicion of theft, fraud and ill treatment of a person lacking capacity.

A spokesman for the CQC, which is an independent regulator of health and social care, said: "All the residents at the home have been moved to alternative accommodation.

"In addition, new placements to the home have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation."

Neighbour Shaun Murray said: "It's very weird. I know that they had people with learning difficulties in there, but I never saw any clients. There always just used to be lots of cars parked in the front."

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "A guy from the home came round and said that the house is now empty, the cars that are there will be collected by members of staff, and they boarded up the windows."

She added that neighbours living in the road didn't have much contact with the managers of the home.

The home is run by Care UK, an independent provider of health and social care services.

Spokesman Sheila Roberts said: "Care UK is proud of its track record of providing the highest standards of care for adults with learning disabilities, and we put the wellbeing of those we care for above all else.

"We are cooperating fully with the police, social services and the CQC."

The two-storey detached building provides support for up to six people with learning disabilities, challenging behaviour and autism.

Have you been affected by the closure of the home? Call the newsdesk on 01306 886 760.