POLICE were called to York Hospital after an elderly man tried to take his sick wife home to escape what he described as "unbearable" conditions on a ward.

Sydney Bailey, 82, of Beckfield Lane, Acomb, York, said his wife Githera, 78, who suffers from diabetes, osteoporosis and is partially blind, was treated well on Ward 25, but was moved last Wednesday evening to make way for an orthopaedic patient.

He said she was placed in a large, packed room, where the television was blaring, but when he complained to staff his wife was wheeled into a small room which had underwear drying on the pipes.

Mrs Bailey was so distressed that she asked to go home, but when Mr Bailey repeatedly asked staff to help escort his distraught wife out of the building they refused, demanded her hospital identity bracelet and called the police.

Mr Bailey said: "The room was the size of a gully hole, the lighting was dingy. I should think it was like being in a cell in Beirut. When we asked for anything we were refused. My wife got out of bed herself, she was crying and she wanted to come home, she couldn't stand it any longer.

"They wanted her to stay in hospital, but she wanted to come out. They had us prisoner. My wife was heartbroken and I was in tatters."

Mr Bailey said he did shout at nurses, but only because they would not help him and because they had also raised their voices.

Mrs Bailey became ill at home on Thursday and is now being cared for on Ward 23 of the hospital. Although happy with her current treatment, Mr Bailey said there was no excuse for what happened on Wednesday.

A spokesman for York Health Services NHS Trust would not comment on any of Mr Bailey's allegations, but confirmed that a disturbance had taken place and that the police were called.

The spokesman said: "We take any incident involving aggressive behaviour directed at staff very seriously. The trust finds any offensive or threatening behaviour towards staff totally unacceptable."

He urged Mr Bailey to contact the trust to discuss the issue.

York Police confirmed that officers attended the hospital, but were not required to take any action.

Updated: 10:57 Monday, March 10, 2003