The Commission for Social Care Inspection is investigating allegations made in a national newspaper about standards of care at a private company.

An article in the Daily Mirror this week included allegations from two former staff members about practices at the Wigan branch of Verna Community Care in the build-up to a visit from CSCI inspectors in June. Verna provides home care for older and disabled people.

A CSCI spokesperson said it was carrying out an investigation with Wigan social services and they would report back "as quickly as possible".

The company said the allegations were unsubstantiated and "in most cases clearly inaccurate".

However, it said it would respond professionally to the Daily Mirror allegations by commissioning an independent investigation at its Wigan branch.

It said it was a "well run, professional organisation committed to providing quality care" and was not given enough time by the paper to respond fully to the allegations.

It claimed the article showed "a complete lack of understanding of the way a domiciliary care provider operates".