A MOTHER and her four children could be forced to leave the country after she fell foul of immigration rules.

The future for Australianborn Bronwyn Clayton, 33, and her young British family is uncertain after she was told she had been living in the country illegally for two years.

They now face a nervewracking wait while Mrs Clayton’s application is considered by the UK Border Agency, a process which could take up to 12 months.

In the meantime, Mrs Clayton, who lives in the Darlington area, must keep herself and her children on maintenance payments of £78 a week, as she is unable to work and unable to claim benefits.

The alternative choice would be to take the children, aged 13, 12, six and four, out of school and move to Australia, she said.

Mrs Clayton had been married to a British citizen with whom she had her children, and was granted indefinite residence in 1997.

But, having left to live in Australia for four years, she returned and wrongly assumed that the indefinite visa would still be valid.

She settled in the North- East, was in full-time employment with Darlington Borough Council, and was in the process of applying to become a citizen of the United Kingdom.

But a routine check by her employer uncovered the fact that she was not entitled to live or work in the UK as her visa had expired.

“The whole situation could go terribly pear-shaped,” she said.

“My youngest two children do not know what is going on, but the older ones do and they are devastated.

“If we left, they would be taken away from their dad, their schools and their friends.

“But they are settled at school and happy in their communities.

“If they stay, they would be without their mother.”

The borough council has backed Mrs Clayton’s visa application and her local MP, Phil Wilson, has vowed to do all he can to help her.

He said: “I am going to get in touch with the immigration minister and take it up with the UK Border Agency to see what can be done.

“The one thing I do not want to see happen is for her to be separated from her four children.”

The UK Border Agency was unavailable for comment last night.