A CAMPAIGNER calling for a public inquiry into alleged abuse at a children's home has come to York to gather support.

Darren Furness says he was a victim of abuse while at St William’s Care Home in 1985 and 1986 and has spent the last 30 years trying to hold those responsible to account.

The 48-year-old is trying to collect 100,000 signatures to have the matter debated in Parliament and has set up stall outside the former BHS store, in Coney Street, to try and add to the 79,000 signatures he says he has collected since June.

A former chaplain and ex-principal were jailed in January for abusing boys at the former home, between 1970 and 1991, however, Mr Furness wants to know why the abuse was ignored for decades.

He said: “I want to know why it was allowed to happen for years until anyone acted on it. There is a public inquiry into child sex abuse but not into St William’s.

“To stop this happening again we have got to look into the biggest case ever. I want everyone to have some closure because this can’t be allowed to go on. Enough is enough after 30 years of fighting this. They need to know that I will not go away until I get the answers I deserve.”

Former chaplain Anthony McCallen, of Stockton-on-Tees, was convicted in December 2015 of 11 charges including a serious sexual offence, but was acquitted of eight others. Ex-principal James Carragher, of Cearns Road, Merseyside, was jailed for nine years after he was found guilty of 21 indecent assaults and three serious sex offences. He was cleared of a further 30 charges.

The inquiry into child sex abuse in England and Wales was set up to investigate allegations made against local authorities, religious organisations, the armed forces and public and private institutions, as well as people in the public eye.