A TERMINALLY ill father has been thwarted in his final wish to return to his home town to die.

The efforts of Arthur Pickering's family to find a house where he can spend his final days have so far failed.

Mr Pickering, 56, who is suffering from lung cancer and a brain tumour, married his partner Glenys Cardwell in a moving ceremony at Burnley General Hospital last month.

He is now back at his rented home in Bath Street, Nelson, with his new wife and their two children, Thomas, seven, and Ryan, six.

But his family is furious that he cannot use the upstairs bathroom, his house is damp and the front windows are nailed up from the outside.

His daughter, Andrea Ryan, of Allerton Drive, Burnley, said: "The accommodation is just not suitable for him in his present circumstances. What he wants is to return to his home town of Burnley to die and to be near to other members of the family.

"He has been in tears because things are not getting sorted out and time is not on his side.''

The family tried to find a house for him through a housing association but drew a blank. They then applied to Burnley Council and this week they were offered a house in Padiham.

Andrea said: "The three-bedroom house was full of flies, damp and dirty. The council said they would clean it up, but time is short. "In any event it was not suitable and still too far away from me and my family.

"Glenys was upset because she believed that was the only offer she would receive from the council and she felt she had to turn it down.''

Burnley housing committee chairman Coun Rafique Malik has agreed to look into the case.

He said: "The situation differs from applicant to applicant.

"The first offer is not the only one. People can have one or two choices.

"This is a sad case. I will speak to the housing officers and ask them to look into it.''

The family has now been told the Padiham property was not the final offer.

The other dying wish of Mr Pickering was to marry his partner of 10 years Glenys Cardwell.

The wedding took place on a ward at Burnley General Hospital in July.

With them were their two sons, family and close friends.

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