WHILE families are kept apart due to the strict rules related to the coronavirus outbreak, a mother and son who have not seen each other for two years have been reunited at a care home.

Kenneth Dando, 81, moved into the White Rose care home in Caerphilly County Borough to be closer to his mum Nellie, who is 104.

The two had not seen each other for two years due to ill health, and had recently been kept apart due to the strict restrictions put on care homes to protect residents from coronavirus.

South Wales Argus:

(Kenneth Dando with his mother, Nellie Dando)

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So he was able to see his mum again, Mr Dando decided to move into the home, where his mother has lived since December last year. Staff kept the plan secret until he moved in so it was a surprise for his mother.

Mrs Dando, who had moved into the home as she was worried about being alone at night, described it as "the best surprise I have ever had in my lifetime."

"Thank you to the staff for making it happen,” she said.

Mr Dando, who was a porter at Caerphilly Miners Hospital and was carer for his wife Margaret until her death last year, said: “I don’t know how will I ever repay the staff at White Rose. Thank you so much.”

Manager at the New Tredegar home Jayne Coburn said: “When Kenneth moved in and we finally revealed to Nellie that he was here to stay, there was an overwhelming sense of joy in the home, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

“I’m so glad we could bring Kenneth and Nellie back together and I hope they enjoy living together again here at White Rose.”