Fight to move son from hospital

Tom had to move from residential care when he turned 19

The father of a 19-year-old disabled man, who has been living in a hospital for six months, has launched a campaign to provide him with a home.

Cheltenham-born Tom Wakefield, who has multiple learning disabilities, had been staying at a residential school.

However, since reaching adulthood, Gloucestershire County Council has not found Mr Wakefield a home.

Now his father, Paul Wakefield, is launching a campaign to raise money for a care home to cater for his son and others with similar problems.

Mr Wakefield says the situation is having a devastating effect.

He said: "In order to get any progress at all I've found it necessary to resign my post as a teacher.

"The problem appears to be that there is no forward planning.

"There's certainly no learning disabled register in Gloucestershire - there doesn't seem to be any planning or any bricks and mortar provision in place."

County councillor Mark Hendry said: "There are a number of facilities in Gloucestershire that are equipped to look after people with similar needs to Tom's, however such places are limited.

"We are endeavouring to find a placement as close to Tom's family home as possible."

The family is setting up a charity to try to raise the money to build a care home in Gloucestershire.