THE daughter of a 71-year-old grandmother who faces deportation says she has heard heartbreaking stories of families being split up.

Earlier this month the Worcester News reported on Brenda Ackerman's dispute with the Home Office.

Mrs Ackerman fled South Africa in 2006 with no possessions and joined their daughter Candice Gordon and husband Martin, and two children in Dubai.

In 2013, the family lost their legal basis to be in Dubai, due to Mr Gordon being made redundant, and moved to Britain.

A year later the family learned they could stay at their Lower Broadheath home, but Mrs Ackerman’s visa application was refused.

After two rejected applications and an appeal, the family are now applying for a judicial review and, on Tuesday, the family’s barrister Jan Doerfel launched a parliamentary petition, which has already attracted more than 2,400 signatures.

The petition, which can be found at petition.parliament.uk/petitions/219993, says: “Brenda is a frail 71-year-old. Her removal risks resulting in “intense suffering” and “large risk of death.” I am calling on the government to change pre-2012 immigration rules which allowed British nationals and other settled persons to be joined by their parents/grandparents aged 65 and over, if they could accommodate and maintain them without reliance on public funds to avoid situations like Brenda’s arising.”

Fighting back tears, Mrs Gordon said: “We are not doing this just for us - this would benefit anybody with relatives abroad, who want to have them here to care for. People have been contacting me. One of them said her mum was deported, and she never got to see her granddaughter ever again. It is heartbreaking.

“I understand people argue about the burden on the taxpayer - but what if you can afford the care and prove this? The law has to change. It is archaic, it is unfair and does not make any sense.”

Mrs Gordon said they were hoping to reach 10,000 signatures, which would force the government to respond to the petition, and look again at the law.

“We are fighting for a family not to be split up, for these other families in similar circumstances not to be split up. We are fighting for mum’s life,” she added.