A CARE home in Lymm has created a shopping street within the building to help bring the outside in.

Staff at Keate House decided to add colour and life to their basement space by introducing Keate Street.

Hand painted walls give the street a unique feel especially as the shops have all been given personal names relevant to the homes history.

Keate Street has been designed to encourage and promote independence.

The street includes a new sweet shop, a refurbished salon, cinema and training room and also a street café.

To get to the salon, the residents have to walk down the mock-street, enabling them to feel as if they are walking into town and having an outdoor experience.

An independent artist visited the home to paint the walls vibrant colours and create lifelike murals.

It was officially opened on June 29 by Rev Bev Jameson, Rector of St Mary's, and the street has been a huge success among the residents.

The plain corridor has been transformed into a vibrant and colourful walkway for the 44 residents at Keate House.

An indoor theatre allows residents to watch films and performances with staff encouraging a weekly trip to the 'cinema'.

Residents are able to experience the whole cinema trip out by going to the shop to buy snacks at the popcorn machine and drinks for the film.

Children from nearby high schools often visit Keate House to play their musical instruments and the new theatre provides the perfect space for this to be hosted.

The new salon is open four days a week offering a variety of treatments from nails to massages and holistic treatments.

A fully-qualified hairdresser and beauty therapist provide the services to residents who can get pampered in the comfort of their own home.

Staff hope to implement an independent street stall within the area but residents can request anything they like to be stocked in the shop.

Diane Clarkson, care home manager, said: "The residents absolutely love it, especially the shop, it gives them a lot of independence.

"We wanted to encourage and promote independence and give it a community feel."