A HORRIFIED father could be forced to bring up his daughter overseas after a court ruled he must be deported.

Michael Engel, formerly of Sherburn-in-Elmet and South Milford, has an 18-month-old daughter with his wife, Natalie, but has lost his appeal to remain in Britain.

He said: “It was absolutely horrific.

“We were doing some Christmas shopping and getting in the mood, taking my daughter out to show her the decorations when the decision was sprung on us.

“It’s all getting too much for Natalie, she is getting really deflated and because she is British she can’t believe what is happening to her.

“She’s really distraught.”

The couple met in Michael’s homeland, South Africa, in 2009 and they lived there until returning to Natalie’s home in Sherburn-in-Elmet after marrying in 2013.

She set up her own interior design business in South Milford, which Michael helps with, but London’s Court of Appeal has ruled the 31-year-old does not earn enough to remain in the country.

The pair now have 14 days to decide whether to appeal again at a cost of around £3,000, and put their lives on hold while they wait for another court date, or move back to South Africa.

“We’ve been talking about going back but it’s not as easy as just packing a bag,” added Michael, who now lives in Cornwall with his family. We need to pack up a house, look at getting an apartment out there and re-build our lives. South Africa is not as forgiving as the UK in terms of support, so it’s going to be very difficult and a tricky situation.

“We understand there are people in a much worse situation than us, and we are disappointed, but we will get through it whether we have to leave or stay.”

Under rules introduced in 2012, British citizens who want to bring a foreign spouse to the UK must earn £18,600 a year and a further £3,800 if the couple have a child.

Natalie’s business made £19,786 in 2014 which was deemed not enough by the tribunal panel.

Michael is now calling for immigration laws to be changed to give hardworking families a chance to remain in Britain.

He added: “We feel these immigration laws need to change and we need to speak up about it.

“There are horror stories about criminals getting citizenship but we are a hardworking family and not a burden on the state.

“We are doing the right thing but being persecuted for it and there’s an obvious glitch in the immigration system.”