Parted pensioners back together

Mr Driscoll said that he had missed his wife very much

An elderly couple who were separated for seven months by social services have been reunited.

Richard and Beryl Driscoll, who are both 89 and have been married for 65 years, are together again at the Bredon View care home in Cheltenham.

The pensioners were split up when Mr Driscoll, who is disabled, was placed in the home, but Mrs Driscoll did not qualify despite being blind.

Social services reviewed her case after pressure from their family.

'Heartbreaking'

Mrs Driscoll told a local newspaper: "I'm happy I can move in with my husband.

"He's my eyes and I didn't know where I was when he left. It was heartbreaking when I visited him. It was like they had taken our marriage away."

Mr Driscoll told the paper: "I only saw her once a week and I'm glad she's here now. I missed her terribly and now we can be together."

The decision to reunite the couple was welcomed by campaigners for the elderly.

Mervyn Kohler, from Help the Aged, said: "This is not an isolated case and the sad fact remains that this will not be the outcome for the dozens of other older couples having gone through similar heartbreak.

"The law is failing some of the country's most vulnerable older people and there are glaring omissions in the protection of older people."

Social services said earlier that in line with Mrs Driscoll's and her family's wishes, they had carried out a reassessment which identified that she was now eligible for support within a residential home.