And the group who staged the protest, Campaign Against Charges (CAC), has hailed it a success after Fife Council agreed to meet them to discuss their complaints.

Anne Martin suffers from multiple sclerosis but this did not stop her taking part in the protest, which was planned by CAC to demand answers about controversial new home care charges.

Anne said: "Because I have MS I have to rely on home carers for my cleaning and sometimes for personal care.

"I need the community alarm so that when I fall they can send help for me.

''Our group has been campaigning against these charges and the Council has bulldozed them through, although we have been successful in having them moderated in some respects.

"I was there on Thursday because I want to know how much I'm going to be charged and when."

The group interrupted the meeting after beginning to chant "When, why, how much?" and chaining their wheelchairs together.

Another member of CAC, Katie Nairn said the group's protests have been ongoing since October last year.

She believes the charges have been a constant worry for her and other people who need a lot of input from the Council's home care service.

Recently retired social worker and disabled member Rudi Vogels has intimate knowledge of the home care service.

He said: "I've been working with disabled and older people who receive these services for many years.

"It is little wonder that they still don't know what will be happening to them, even after six months of these threats. The social work department is in total disarray and we have a head of service and his political masters who change their minds as often as they change their shirts.

He believes social workers have to hear about policies from newspapers.
However, council leader Peter Grant hit back at the protesters and said the meeting they disrupted was due to discuss measures which would help more disabled people.

Fife Council chief executive Ronnie Hinds said the local authority constantly reviews security at Fife House to ensure the safety of employees, councillors and the general public.