A MAN is taking a local authority to court in a bid to have his father allowed to return home.

For the past two years, Jim Jones has been embroiled in a legal battle with social services to have his 78-year-old father, Ron, allowed home.

Mr Jones Jr claims his father is unhappy in the care home and wants to return to the house they shared in Bellerby, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire.

Mr Jones Sr was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2005.

After his condition deteriorated, his two sons reluctantly agreed for him to move to a care home.

Mr Jones Jr said: “After dad had been in there for about a week, I realised things were not going well and he was not settling in.”

The pensioner became aggressive, which his son believes was a result of being unhappy in his new surroundings.

He said: “Like going to a hotel and finding out that you could not leave – you would want to do anything to get out.”

Since then, Mr Jones Jr has repeatedly tried to get his father home, but has been told he must stay.

The 46-year-old has previously gone to court to force North Yorkshire County Council officials to allow an independent examiner to assess his father.

He has also been in contact with his MP, William Hague.

Although the son has no complaints about his father’s care home, Morris Grange, near Scotch Corner, he said the former engineer often asked him when he could go home.

He said: “I feel as if I have betrayed a family member by allowing this to happen.

“I feel I must keep trying for my dad’s sake.”

The council said it could not comment on individual cases.

However, a spokeswoman said: “In all our assessments of vulnerable adults, we must place their needs first and their care and safety are our priority.

“Whilst we always take into the account the wishes of their families, it is the adults themselves and their needs which must be placed first.”