A YORK pensioner who faced a five hour round journey to a care home on the coast each time he wanted to see his sick wife is ‘over the moon’ after she was transferred back to a home in York.

Malcolm Lee, of The Groves, said his wife Iris, who has dementia and is blind, was moved to Meadowbeck home in Osbaldwick from the home in Scarborough yesterday.

He said he now only had a short walk and bus journey to visit her, instead of a 20 minute walk to Stonebow, a one hour, 45 minute journey on a Coastliner bus and then another 20 minute walk to the Scarborough home high above the cliffs.

“It’s fantastic,” he said. “I’m over the moon.” He thanked The Press for covering his plight earlier this month, which he was convinced had helped him get Iris back to York again.

We reported how Iris, 73 was transferred to Scarborough from St Catherine’s Care Home at Shipton by Beningbrough, as no home in the York area was able to accommodate her.

She was one of a number of residents at St Catherine’s who had been given just days to leave after it was hit by the “unprecedented staffing crisis” sweeping the country’s care sector.

The Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group said then it was ‘pulling out all the stops’ to support the sector during current challenges to keep people safe.

Several kind-hearted Press readers contacted the paper after our story about Mr Lee’s difficulties was published to offer to drive him to the coast on a regular basis.

“I can’t bear the thought of him having to traipse out there in all weathers,” said one.

Mr Lee said he wanted to thank everyone for their kind offers of assistance.