POLICE were called to a Bromsgrove care home after a frustrated wife who had been denied the chance to see her husband for several months sneaked in to get him out.

The Guardian reports that Patricia Hodges, 75, was asked to leave Wayside House care home in New Road after gaining entry via a side door and trying to take husband Graham, 83, to another home.

Patricia had been unable to see her husband, who suffers from a form of dementia, since March due to coronavirus restrictions.

She wanted to move him to another care home after a row over fees with Wayside owner Rakesh Kotecha.

“I rang the doorbell and I wasn’t going to be let in,” Patricia told the Guardian, adding that she then noticed a handyman had left a side door open.

However, Mr Kotecha told her she was a coronavirus risk to residents and called the police.

When the police arrived, Patricia and her family pleaded their case with officers who, after speaking with social services and other professionals, said there was no reason not to let Graham leave, which he did the following day.

“When Graham came out to get into the wheelchair taxi, he let out a loud cheer and then started weeping when he saw Bethan (his daughter) and the grandchildren and told them he loved them all and would be able to give them a kiss now,” said Patricia.

Wayside owner Mr Kotecha said strict visiting restrictions were needed to keep the home Covid-free and protect staff and residents.

“Of course we would love to have families visiting,” he said. “In the pre-Covid world we had no restriction on visiting hours at all.”

He added that the home has now started allowing visits in a specially prepared room.

Previously, only end-of-life visits and video calls were allowed.

Wayside has been approached for further comment.