A DEVOTED son is appealing to immigration chiefs to allow him to stay in Bolton to care for his elderly parents.

Oleksandr Zarvanskyy says he has sacrificed his own family life in Ukraine to help provide round-the-clock care for step-father Paul Stec, aged 90, and his mother Eniliya, aged 78.

The 49-year-old has lived with the pair in their flat in Glaisdale Close, Tonge Moor, for the past 18 months, looking after Mr Stec who uses a wheelchair, walking stick, has cataracts and started showing signs of dementia two years ago.

Mr Zarvanskyy, speaking through a translator, said: “I want to be allowed to stay with my family to look after them.

“I would like to have the right to stay and help them. I want the best for my mum and her husband and that’s it.”

Mr Zarvanskyy came to Bolton from Ukraine in 2012 for a 15-day visit to see his family, including his daughter Viktoriya Zarvanska, who now lives in Bradford.

The 22-year-old was brought up in Bolton after her grandma, along with her husband of 20 years, were granted guard-ianship following the death of her mother, Halyna, while they were visiting in 2001.

The 31-year-old had been suffering from Hodgkin’s Disease for eight years and was cleared to travel to Britain by Ukrainian doctors but fell ill and died. She is buried at Heaton Cemetery.

Although he has a wife and young daughter in Ukraine, Mr Zarvanskyy argues he has more family in England and it is particularly important in their culture to care for elderly parents.

Myron Stawychny, a Ukrainian welfare officer in Bolton, said: “They feel more confident with someone they know rather than a stranger coming in. To them, he is like gold. He is doing somebody else’s job 24:7.”

Mr Zarvanskyy was granted a one-year family visa, valid from June 26, 2012, after which he was told to return to the Ukraine.

He made an appeal to stay but was turned down and is now waiting to hear if can appeal again.

Sylvia Stec, wife of Mr Stec’s son who is also called Paul, said: “While he was here, his mum said she was struggling looking after Paul. It’s too much for her, sometimes he falls out of bed.”

Mrs Stec, who lives in Bury, visits three times a week but fears father-of-three Mr Stec, a retired mill worker who came to Bolton in 1945, will have to go into a care home without Mr Zarvanskyy living with them.

A Home Office spokesman said: “All applications are considered on their individual merits.”