A WIDOW still working at the age of 76 claims she was cruelly ‘sacked’ by bosses at a soon-to-close residential home.

Dedicated care assistant Barbara Atkinson had never missed a day in the six years she worked at the Flowers Hall in Kirkheaton .

Grandmother Mrs Atkinson had previously taken the home to an employment tribunal over almost £1,300 in unpaid wages from last October.

She had won her case and the cash was never paid but trusting Mrs Atkinson continued to work for the company.

Then, out of the blue, Mrs Atkinson was called into the office by manager Christine Matthews and told to go.

Mrs Atkinson said: “I was called into the office five minutes before the end of my shift and Christine said: ‘I am closing. I have had enough.’ and then she said: ‘You can finish now.’”

Bewildered Mrs Atkinson, who has three children and two grandchildren, got changed, rang her daughter Dorcas Atkinson, 45, to break the news and left.

“I’ve been made to feel like a criminal and I have done nothing wrong,” said Mrs Atkinson, of Newsome .

“I have not done anything to deserve this. I have never been late or had a day off sick. In fact I’ve not had any time off at all.

“I just enjoy helping the residents and have worked hard for six years.

“I have walked up there in hail, snow and blow.”

The Flowers Hall, in Lascelles Hall Road, announced last month it was to close.

Families were summoned to a meeting, attended by Kirklees Council officials, and the dozen or so residents were told they would have to move out.

The Examiner understands the premises will close when all the residents are found new homes. That could be as early as July 9.

The home is run by manager Mrs Matthews and her husband Ron. Their daughter Claire is deputy manager.

The company which previously ran the home was called The Flowers Hall Ltd but that firm went into liquidation in February 2012 and the business was taken over by Camcare Daycare Ltd.

Mrs Matthews is listed as a previous director of Camcare but the only current director is Damian Marc Matthews, Mrs Matthews’ son.

According to the Companies House website Camcare faces being struck off as its annual accounts, due on February 28, have not been submitted.

Mrs Atkinson worked extra shifts last October and was due £1,291 in wages.

Her pay that month never arrived and Mrs Atkinson claims Mrs Matthews told her it had been paid into the wrong bank account.

She asked about it repeatedly but the money was not paid and, with the help of her daughter Dorcas, a self-employed human resources consultant, she took a claim to an employment tribunal in March.

The home did not defend the claim and Mrs Atkinson was awarded a total of £1,291.85.

When the money wasn’t paid after a statutory 42 days, Mrs Atkinson issued a claim at Huddersfield County Court.

Again the home failed to respond and judgement was awarded to Mrs Atkinson.

Dorcas said that it was during the tribunal process that her mum found out that her employer had changed from The Flowers Hall Ltd to Camcare Daycare Ltd.

Dorcas e-mailed Mrs Matthews to complain at her mum’s treatment and was eventually told her mum had been suspended but not sacked.

At that meeting on June 4 Mrs Atkinson says she was told not to tell anyone the home was closing nor contact any of her colleagues.

“I haven’t even been able to say goodbye to the residents,” said Mrs Atkinson, who has now submitted a further claim for unfair dismissal.

Mrs Atkinson had been waiting for a meeting about the ‘suspension’ but this week received a letter saying her employment would cease on July 8 and she would receive pay in lieu of notice and redundancy money.

There was no mention of the October wages she is still owed.

Mrs Atkinson added: “I’ve never had such a long holiday but this hasn’t put me off. I still want to go on working.

“I am up at 5am and they are long days. I can’t stay in bed.”

Dorcas said she was frustrated that even after winning an employment tribunal and a County Court judgement her mum was still out of pocket.

“There is something wrong with a system where the Moors murderer Ian Brady can get £250,000 in taxpayer-funded legal aid but we have to fight tooth and nail to win but still not get justice,” she said.

A spokesman for Begbies Traynor in Halifax, which acted as liquidator for The Flowers Hall Ltd, said the business had already been transferred to Camcare when the firm was appointed.

He understood that all employees had been informed about the transfer.

When contacted about the closure last month Mrs Matthews said: “I have nothing to say really. It’s a private matter and I don’t want to talk about it.”

The Examiner left a message for Mrs Matthews this week but when we called back ‘Donna’, who answered the phone, said: “She says ‘no comment’. You won’t be getting a phone call back.”

A mobile phone said to belong to Damian Matthews simply rang out.

A Kirklees Council spokesman said: “The local authority is aware of the home closure and is working closely with the provider and families to support residents to move to alternative homes of their choice in a timely and safe manner.”