WIDOW Joan Cooper is devastated at the impending closure of the Middlefield Adult Training Centre in Chippenham.

Mrs Cooper, 77, of Cloatley Road, Hankerton, relies on the centre to help take care of her disabled daughter Carolyn, 52.

Carolyn has been incapacitated since birth, and is only able to hear and smile, .

Ever since her husband, Henry, died of an aneurysm, aged 68, while they were visiting Jerusalem ten years ago, Mrs Cooper has been the sole carer for her daughter.

Miss Cooper has been attending the centre for about 40 years and goes five days a week.

Mrs Cooper said the service provides a valuable respite for her and the cut in facilities could severely hamper her own life.

"I won't have time for anything," she said. "I won't be able to go anywhere.

"It's not progress. They're going backwards rather than forwards and it makes my blood boil."

She said she had to cook meals for her daughter to take with her every day, due to redundancies in the kitchen staff.

"Now I've got to start cooking meals on Mondays for Carolyn to take to Middlefield and I think that's shocking," she said.

"I have to send her there with frozen meals. She can't chew her food, so she can't eat the snacks cooked by the trainees."

The specialist centre in Hungerdown Lane provides a sense of independence to many people with learning difficulties, as well as respite for their carers.

Mrs Cooper said cuts in transport to Middlefield would also be a disaster.

"They're going to stop the bus there, so I don't know what will happen then," she said.

"When the current door-to-door service stops, she will only be able to get there if the staff provide a minibus during working hours.

"That means a later pick up and earlier return.

"I've got to get somebody to be here when she comes home, but if they start bringing her home early I don't know what we will do."

Although her daughter is unable to communicate sufficiently, Mrs Cooper said she was sure she enjoyed her time at Middlefield.

"I do think she enjoys it," she said. "She always laughs and laughs when she comes back."

Wiltshire County Council is closing five day centres across the region and intends to replace them with smaller, new-style ones.

They have said the current centres would not close until suitable alternative premises are found, which could take up to 18 months.