FOUR people have been arrested as police investigate evidence of abuse and ‘torture’ at a care home in Hambrook.

Secret filming for the BBC’s Panorama series appears to show a systematic pattern of mental and physical abuse of patients at Winterbourne View residential hospital, which cares for adults with learning disabilities and autism.

The footage filmed over five weeks at the 24-bed facility, on the Vantage Park industrial estate, was aired on Tuesday night and has sparked a full scale police investigation.

Avon and Somerset police confirmed today that three men and one woman have been arrested as part of their investigation.

Police spokesman Wayne Baker said: "Police can confirm that four people have been arrested in connection with inquiries linked to allegations of abuse and mistreating of patients at the Winterbourne View hospital in Hambrook.

"Three men aged 42, 30 and 25 and a woman aged 24 years have been arrested on suspicion of assault/mistreatment of patients under the Mental Capacity Act.

"All four have been released on police bail, pending further inquiries."

Clinical psychologist Andrew McDonnell viewed the undercover footage of support workers pinning patients down, dousing them with cold water and slapping them in the face.

He said the sustained abuse was paramount to torture.

"This is a therapeutic environment," he said. "Where's the therapy in any of this? I would argue this is torture."

Panorama reporter Joe Casey was sent undercover as a support worker after programme makers were alerted to concerns at Witnerbourne View by former senior nurse Terry Bryan, who has 35 years experience in the care industry.

"These are all people's sons, daughters, parents, aunties, uncles," said Mr Bryan. "These are all people who have got families, the families themselves do not know what goes on there."

The parents of one patient, 18-year-old Simone who was filmed lying shivering outside on a concrete path and having water thrown over her by staff, said their daughter had raised the alarm.

"She told us that she had been hit, her hair had been pulled and she'd been kicked - and I said no, this wouldn't happen, they're not allowed," said the patient's mother.

The hospital's owners, Castlebeck, have apologised repeadtedly and suspended 13 employees.

Chief executive Lee Reed said: "Having spent my entire career in health and social care, I intend to leave no stone unturned to ensure that this type of horrific event is never allowed to happen again.

"I have been chief executive since January, and my job now is to ensure that this company moves forward from this appalling episode to having among the best, if not the very best, standards in the provision of care for some of the most vulnerable people in society."

The company, which runs 56 other facilities nationwide, said it was now in consultation over the future of Winterbourne View and an independent review of policy and protocol would be carried out.

A spokesman added: "The terrible events at Winterbourne View are a cause of deep sorrow and regret for all at our company. We are here to care for people, we are not here to allow them to suffer harm. But we cannot change the past. We can only improve the present and assure a better future."