THE mother of a disabled man who uses one of two closure-threatened day centres has challenged councillors who voted for closure to spend a day in her shoes.

Audrey Everton says life for her and David, her 58-year-old severely disabled son, will be made even more difficult if Perryfields Day Centre in Midlands Road, Worcester, closes its doors and does not think councillors understand what life is like for families like hers.

"At 81-years-old I am having difficulty in coping with David," she said. "He has gone there for many years now. If the centre does close I don't know what he will do. I can't entertain him anymore. That is no life.

"I really don't know what he will do if he isn't going there. He will probable vegetate. He will lose everything he knows.

"I want some of these councillors who voted for the closure to spend a day in our shoes to see what it is like having a disabled child."

Your Worcester News revealed last week that Worcestershire County Council's decision to close the Perryfields site and Pershore Care Centre in Station Road, is now going to be investigated by a watchdog scrutiny group.

But Mrs Everton, who welcomes the investigation, believes people like her son will suffer.

Currently, the centre users receive dedicated specialist care, but the Cherry Orchard Day Centre, where they could end up if the closures go ahead, is more of a mixed-use facility.

The county says it plans to spend £100,000 expanding capacity here, but does not know where the cash will go at this stage.

Mrs Everton said: "We want it made clear what provisions they will get if they are sent to the Cherry Orchard Day Centre in Worcester. The £100,000 they want to spend on facilities, we want to know what facilities? "But we just hope and pray they will review the situation and decide to keep the two centres open."

For the pensioner, looking after her son is a full-time job. "I get him up at 6am, I wash him, dress him, shave him, and give him his breakfast. And then what? If he goes to the day centre that gives me time for myself.

"But if not it is very difficult for me. But at the centre he is with other people like himself. There is always something going on. This is our life," she said.M

Mrs Everton added families would continue their fight to keep the centres open.

She said: "These are people. You can't just shove them in a hole. Are you going to say one size fits all? We know very well that that doesn't work."