THE GRANDSON of a British soldier has lost his three-month fight against being deported.

And rather than stay behind, his English fiancee is planning to abandon everything in Brighton to go with him to South Africa - even if it means becoming an illegal immigrant herself.

Neil Meyer, 24, has been living in England for four years and set up home in Kingsway, Hove, with his sweetheart Dawn Hartley, also 24.

Now they are being forced to leave their jobs, friends, and home behind to move to South Africa on November 25.

Neil said: "Of course we would rather stay in England but at the moment that is not possible. Dawn wants to be with me. If that means following me to South Africa then that's what she is prepared to do."

As his grandfather was British, Neil assumed there would be no problem in winning permanent residency when he applied for an ancestral visa.

But he was stunned when immigration officials rejected his application on the grounds that his grandfather was not actually born in Britain - his parents were serving with the British Army in India.

Now the couple have pinned their hopes on a London firm of solicitors who specialise in immigration cases.

The firm has agreed to take up the case of Neil's brother Rod, who also lives in Hove, and is in the

middle of his own visa application.

If Rod is granted a visa then Neil, who currently works for Amtrak Express Parcels in Hollingbury, would also be entitled to residency.

The couple plan to spend the first two months in South Africa with Neil's family.

After that, they will review the situation and if it seems there is no chance that Neil can win British

residency, Dawn will return to pack up their possessions and ship everything out to Cape Town.

Dawn is entitled to stay in South Africa for six months. After that she could experience the same problems Neil has faced in the UK.

Neil said: "We don't think she will able to legally emigrate.

"Potentially she could be deported and we would have to think again."

Dawn, who works for Legal and General, said: "I love Neil and I will follow him wherever he is because he is part of my life.

"If we cannot make a home here, then we will have to make a home somewhere else.

"We are just trying to put it out of our minds."

The couple know the solution would be to get married but they are reluctant to be forced into

taking such a step before they are ready.

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