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Come home for Christmas, Dad

24/12/2007

A SON is making a desperate appeal for his dad to return home in time for the festive period.

Brent Crowshaw has not seen his 79-year-old dad since he was discharged from Birch Hill Hospital, Wardle, three months ago.

Since then the 42-year-old has been frantically searching care homes in Rochdale and Heywood in the hope that his father has found safe housing.

George Crowshaw‘s most recent address is Withern flats on the Angel Meadow estate, Heywood.

He was admitted to Birch Hill after Brent found it too difficult to look after his dad, who was mentally unstable and feared to be a danger to himself.

“Last time I saw dad he looked really ill. He had lost a lot of weight and seemed really confused,” said Brent,

“I’m just really worried.

“You can’t help thinking the worst has happened.”

Brent says his dad, who usually goes by his middle name Lawrence, was only intending to stay in hospital for a few days, to calm him down, but that as his condition worsened the stay got longer and longer.

“I really just want to find him again, and bring him to live with me. There is no reason why he would not want to contact me, we are very close, so I can only think that he is confused,” he said.

“We’ve never spent a Christmas apart and I don’t want this to be the first one.”

A spokesperson for the Pennine Care Trust said: “We are not aware of any patients recently discharged from our service at Birch Hill Hospital who are missing, but will look into the matter.”