One of the UK's oldest women and eight other residents of a Midlands care home must wait another week to see if they have won their battle to stop its closure after the court case was adjourned today.

Two appeal court judges ruled that their case for the home to stay open had to be formally heard alongside Wolverhampton City Council’s application to lift a court order that has prevented it from shutting down the home.

One of the residents is Louisa Watts who, at 106, is believed to be the fifth oldest person in Britain. Her son, Derek, has pledged to fight the decision “to the bitter end” to stop Underhill House closing. He believes if his mother is forced to leave, the move could shorten her life.

The local authority says that Underhill House no longer complies with national minimum standards and to make all the necessary refurbishments would cost £2 million. Its closure is part of a £33 million cost-cutting programme.

Mrs Watts, a widow and former hospital cleaner, moved into the home four years ago after her daughter died.

Yvonne Hossack, a solicitor who has prevented the closure of more than 80 care homes, asked the two appeal judges for the adjournment.

She previously won an injunction to stop the removal of the nine remaining residents.

Ms Hassock said that the plight of the residents mirrored that of thousands of elderly people in the UK who are being moved around from home to home by local authorities to cut costs.

Her case, that the closure will risk the elderly patients’ health, has been backed by Professor Cornelius Katona, Foundation Professor of Psychiatry of the Elderly at University College London, who assessed Mrs Watts at the home.

“On the balance of probabilities, Mrs Watts's already short [life] expectancy is likely to be reduced by 25 per cent if she was moved from Underhill House where she has lived happily for five years,” he concluded in his report.

Mr Watts said that if the council succeeds in its appeal to close the home, he and Ms Hossack will seek to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

“Someone has to stand up for these people," he said. "I will keep on battling until I can't do it any more. They are old people and we have got to look after them,” he said.

“They have been the backbone of this country for a good many years and I think we should look after them now in their old age.”