A FORMER rugby league international has set up his own home care company – to meet a wish of his late mother.

Mick Burke, originally from St Helens, won representative honours after starring with Widnes and Oldham in the 1980s.

He settled in Oldham but spent six years travelling back and forth to his hometown to look after his mother Margret Burke, as she battled dementia.

After she died at the age of 90, Mick gave up a roofing company and decided to set up a family run home care company for vulnerable adults with his son Michael Jnr, aged 22, which employs eight people.

This had been the wish of Mick’s mother and of his father Richard, whom he still cares for at his home in Marsden Avenue, Old Eccleston.

Mick, aged 54, who played 15 times for Great Britain, said: “I realised my mum and dad needed help and thought it would be best for me to go back to live with them to provide care in their home.

“I simply didn’t want to them to go in a care home. After my mother died, I decided that I would fulfil her wish and started Together Care.

“While caring for Mum and Dad I gained all the relevant qualifications so that my son and I could start the company.

“We wanted to give back to the people of St Helens and surrounding areas and provide a quality home care service.

“After seeing how happy my parents were because they could stay at home, instead of a care home facility, it made my passion to provide a home care service stronger.

“Together Care is something me and my son put our heart and soul into because people will always feel most happy in their own homes.”