The firm behind a failing care home for people with learning disabilities or autism has apologised for the "dirty, unsafe and poorly maintained" conditions there.

A spokesperson from Jeesal Residential Care Services said they were "very disappointed" with the Care Quality Commission's recent findings at Treehaven Rants, in West Runton, after the health watchdog rated the home 'Inadequate' and put it in special measures.

Jeesal said it had appointed a new managing director, Tom Burns, to oversee all its services in response to the damning report, and it has also taken on a new manager and housekeeper at Treehaven Rants.

The spokesman said: "We would like to take this opportunity to extend an apology to our residents and their families for the drop in performance of our home, which for many years had been recognised as being good by the regulator. It is our intention to get it back to that high standard as quickly as possible."

The spokesman said other steps to improve the home included a new maintenance programme and recruitment drive, although the firm was feeling the impact of the "deepening staffing crisis".

The Dereham-based Jeesal group also ran the now closed Cawston Park hospital, near Aylsham, which was recently subject to a scathing report after three patients died while in its care.

Ben King, 32, Nicholas Briant, 33, and Joanna Bailey, 36, died within just over two years of each other while they were patients.

CQC inspectors visited Treehaven Rants in July after the county council raised concerns.

They found a lack of qualified staff and breaches of the Health and Social Care Act, including that residents were not protected from the risk of abuse or from avoidable incidents and accidents.

Their report said: "This included assaults on staff and people using the service. One person had numerous falls and factors contributing to this had not been fully considered or reduced."

The home, which has capacity for 12 people but had eight people living there at the time of inspection, was downgraded from its 2019 'good' rating.

Last week, Bill Borrett, the county council's cabinet member for adult social care, urged families with loved ones in Jeesal's nine Norfolk care homes to consider moving them out.