AN eighty three year old American widow, who has lived in Looe for almost 32 years, is devastated that the Home Office has refused UK residency to her son, who has been caring for her for the last 18 months.

Mark VanWarmer arrived in Looe in April 2000 from his home in Washington to look after his mother Betsy, and since then his application for residency to remain in the United Kingdom has been turned down three times. This has been despite intervention by South East Cornwall MP Colin Breed and pleas from mayor and next door neighbour, Wally Scarah, who has personally written to the Home Secretary, David Blunkett.

Ironically, one of Betsy's four sons is the singer/songwriter Randy VanWarmer, who wrote the hit single 'Just When I Needed You Most'. His wife Susan has written to Tony Blair appealing for him to intervene.

Betsy heard at the end of last week that an appeal to Jeff Rooker, Minister of State at the Home Office had failed, and is desperately upset that she may soon have to be parted from her son on whom she has come to depend .

Pension

Mr Rooker had written that he did not consider Mark's or Betsy's circumstances to be exceptional in order to justify him using his discretion.

But the VanWarmers believe the decision to be cold hearted and say it will inevitably lead to Betsy having to rely on the Social Services for help, whereas at present, they are totally self sufficient.

She owns her house, has an American pension, and Mark is supported by his brothers, all living in the USA. 'Mark would not be a burden on UK finances' she said.

In other correspondence the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate stated that the UK Social Services would be able to look after Betsy's needs. However, this has angered Mark. 'I will not accept the decision because Social Services cannot provide as much as I can for my mother in her own home' he said. 'She has bouts of vertigo which lead to dizziness for up to three weeks, and she needs someone with her all the time'. He added he wants the Home Office to publicly state that his being in Looe was less important to his mother than what the Social Services could provide for her. He says they have avoided this statement by refusing him a personal interview.

What has made the Home Office decision even more puzzling is that Mark previously had UK residency for a period of 12 years before moving back to the USA, and he attended Liskeard Grammar School during that time, with two of his brothers going to Looe School.

Betsy, whose grandfather William Harry, was a Redruth miner who emigrated to the copper mines in Hancock, Michigan, came to Looe on holiday in 1970 after the death of her husband in a car crash. She decided to stay and was granted residency in 1974 .

Roots

'I have visited the USA frequently to see my sons and their families' she says, 'but my roots are in Cornwall now and I have many friends here. I just want Mark to be able to stay with me. I love having him around and I need his help'.

Wally Scarah has branded the Home Office decision an absolute disgrace. He said Betsy is 'a lovely Christian lady who had taken people from the streets into her home to help them out', and now she was being denied help from her own son.

'To say that Social Services could do as much for Betsy as Mark can, living with her 24 hours a day, and a qualified carer is ridiculous' he said.