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AN EIGHTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD care home resident’s one-man protest occupation against its closure was rumbled by council security guards fearing too many people would turn up to celebrate his birthday.
The former head teacher’s relatives and friends were confronted by the guards when they tried to join him to celebrate his birthday on the final day of the occupation on Wednesday.
Don Robson was the last remaining resident at Newtown House in Stanhope, County Durham.
Durham County Council decided to close its five remaining care homes in April, saying they were not value for money at a time of government cuts.
Mr Robson decided to stage a sit-in in protest before he was forced to leave.
Invitations to a party at the home to celebrate his birthday were issued by his family but Durham County Council deployed security guards to stop people attending.
The council told family members that numbers attending the party would be restricted “because of security concerns.”
The decision outraged the family and Mr Robson's daughter-in-law, Michelle Robson, said she was “disgusted” when friends arrived and had to stand in the car park during the celebrations.
Mr Robson finally left the care home but said: “I'm going to cry, I'm so worked up. I didn't think this would happen but life goes on.”
A Durham County Council spokeswoman said the celebration had been advertised on social media and the council feared too many people would turn up, so the authority drafted in security guards because of safety concerns.
Before retirement Mr Robnson was head of a primary school in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. The family invited former pupils to attend the party.
The council decided to close its last remaining homes in April because it said they were not value for money.
A council spokeswoman said: "Mrs Robson has declined to take responsibility for managing numbers and said she was not able to predict how many people may come.
"Given the wide publicity, we let the family know yesterday that we would have to take reasonable security measures to ensure the safety of Mr Robson and staff."
Mr Robson will now live with his son Steve and daughter-in-law Michelle.
