Hospital man's home plea

John Wynn: Requires lift in house

A Totnes man who has been recovering in hospital since last November says he feels trapped there because nobody will pay for essential building work at his home.

John Wynn is taking up a bed at Totnes Community Hospital which he says he does not need, and he wants to be reunited with his family.

But the nature of his health problems means specialist work must be carried out at his home and that is expected to cost £15,000.

Mr Wynn's family say they cannot afford the work.

I always assumed we looked after the disabled in this country, but it's a real battle Sue Wynn

Mr Wynn suffered serious problems with blood vessels in his heart and much of his body has been paralysed.

Mr Wynn's wife Sue has plans to install a lift to help her husband upstairs.

She said: "I always assumed we looked after the disabled in this country, but it's a real battle.

"There's John in hospital costing £25,000 a year and no-one seems to want to help us to get him home."

The family garden has already been transformed thanks to charity.

Grants doubled

A government spokeswoman said conversion grants had to be means tested because there was a big demand for help from people like the Wynns.

She said grants had doubled in the past six years, but there were no plans to change the way money was awarded.

Ian Bollands from South Hams District Council said they were doing all they could to help the family, but their hands were tied by the law.

He said: "We sympathise, but we are in a very difficult situation.

"The guidelines are very strict so we have no discretion to award any more money than we are doing now."