A WOMAN may be taken to court by her son in an attempt to make her

disclose his father's identity.

Mr Martin Thornton, who has been trying for 25 years to trace his

father, says he is is prepared to involve his mother in a legal action

under the Children's Act to end the mystery.

Mr Thornton, a 43-year-old video shop owner, was born at Balmedie,

near Aberdeen, when his mother Annie Warrender, now Mrs Annie Henderson,

worked as a servant on a farm.

He lived with his grandmother but was adopted at the age of nine by a

family named Thornton. Later he was put into care and lived in foster

homes until he was 16. When he was 18 he traced his mother but she

refused to tell him his father's name.

''She said my dad walked out on her after he made her pregnant,'' said

Mr Thornton, of Fallowfield, Manchester. ''She found out he was married

but wouldn't tell me who he is. The more I've asked her, the less she

wants to know me.

''I've also been contacted by a brother I never knew I had. We're both

determined to contact our dad. He has a name of his father on a social

security document but we've checked it out and we think it's

incorrect.''

He added: ''The last thing I want to do is take my own mother to court

but if it comes down to that then so be it.''

Mrs Henderson, who lives at Bridge of Don with her husband refused to

comment.