Sir, Quite recently my father celebrated his 80th birthday, and it is on this occasion that I would like to bring to the fore, some of the fantastic care homes we have in our county. He currently resides at the Belvedere Residential Home in Tenby, run by Derek and Tracey Skidmore.

On the day, the staff made him a chocolate cake and everyone there sang happy birthday to him in the morning. It was quite an emotional event for someone who often does not show his emotions, but it clearly brought some warmth to his heart.

He reluctantly joined the home after taking a fall in his flat and being found two days later by myself, lying on the floor totally incapacitated.

He now enjoys being in a warm and safe environment, where he is tended on hand and foot by staff that are second to none. He can have company downstairs with other residents, but usually keeps himself to himself in his room where he can watch the television, and make some banter with the staff that bring him his lunch, dinner, tea and cakes during the day. In a nutshell, he loves it there.

My fiancee’s mother is in Brooklands residential home in New Hedges, where again the five-star treatment is dished out to her.

My mother who passed away a couple of years ago, stayed at Woodlands residential home in Gumfreston for four years, and again she loved it. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff, and the manager Amanda was like a little rock to me when she died, helping me with lots of things that were new to me at the time.

We often read the horror stories in old people’s homes around the country, but we in Pembrokeshire seem to be blessed with the Dorchester, Ritz and Savoys of these homes.

Lance Russell,

Tenby.