71922-12A 90-YEAR-OLD former Desert Rat will have to live in a hospital ward because a place cannot be found for him in a nursing home.

The outraged family of great-grandfather Jack Trueman, who has Alzheimer's Disease, have accused Swindon Council of letting the war hero down and are demanding an apology.

Council bosses are set to shut Pinetrees residential home in Pinehurst, where Mr Trueman currently resides, as part of cut-backs.

Lease Hill home in Moredon is also to close because Swindon Council cannot afford to bring all six of its care homes up to new national standards.

But due to the chronic shortage of specialist care places in the town, social services appear unable to offer Mr Trueman an alternative home.

Instead his family have been told that he will move into temporary accommodation at Victoria Hospital in Okus Road, Old Town.

Daughter Rae Mackenzie, 58, of Brington Road, Coleview, said: "I think it is disgusting what they are doing.

"Staff at Pinetrees gave us the names of two nursing homes, Miranda House and Kings Court, but both were full.

"He has yet to be told that his new temporary home is going to be a ward in Victoria Hospital."

Mrs Mackenzie fears it could be months before a place is eventually found for her ageing father.

Just last week we told the story of Mary Braybrooke the 93-year-old who has been waiting in a Great Western Hospital ward since February for a nursing home place.

"We are in a similar position," said Mrs Mackenzie.

"My father has been very well cared for at Pinetrees home. He tends to get on better with women and he has some good friends there.

"The chances are that he'll be put into an all-male ward at Victoria Hospital."

Mrs Mackenzie and her family have also been given a list of nearby homes in Melksham, Trowbridge and Malmesbury, which may have places.

But she insists that it is her father's right to spend his last days in Swindon the town where he was born and raised.

"My father is a Swindonian born and bred," she said.

"Apart from the war and the odd holiday he has never been out of the town.

"He worked for years at the Great Western Railway and paid his rates to Swindon Council. He deserves better. He fought for his country and was even one of the last to be evacuated from Dunkirk."

Mr Trueman, a tank radio operator during the war, also saw active service in Italy and North Africa. Soldiers who served in the desert were known as Desert Rats.

Coun Ian Dobie, (Con, Haydon Wick), lead member for social services, said this was the first complaint he has received concerning the closure.

But he promised to raise the case when he next meets with council officers.

He said: "We are not about to chuck residents into the streets we are not in that game.

"We understand how stressful a move can be for elderly people and we are trying to be as respectful as possible.

"There is a shortage of nursing home places in Swindon and we are doing out best to encourage more providers to come to the town.

"But in the short term I do not see how we can do much about it."

The dates for the closures have yet to be announced.

Kevin Shoesmith