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A DESPERATE dad has told how the Home Office are trying to break up his family because he lost his job.

Father-of-two Iain Landsborough was made redundant last year.

And under highly controversial rules brought in by the Con-Dem government four years ago, that means his wife Susan faces being sent 6000 miles to South Africa.

The Home Office say Susan must leave by the end of April. Iain says that will separate his children, Iain, three, and Linda, two, from their mum.

“It looks like we’re going to be split up,” Iain, 36, said.

“It’s devastating.

“For me to have to bring up our children without their mother, and to explain to them every day why

their mum can’t be here, is heartbreaking.

“They say I need £18,600 a year to keep Susan here. It’s a terrible rule.

“It’s not my fault I was made redundant. It doesn’t seem to matter that we’ve got two young kids.”

Iain met Susan, 41, in her native South Africa in 2011 while he was working as a shotblaster, and they married there in 2012. They set up home in Irvine, Ayrshire, the following year.

The Home Office rules have hampered Iain’s search for a new job. He’s having to focus on posts that pay enough to allow his wife to stay with him, and there are few of them around in his area.

For now, the family’s only hope is a temporary visa to allow Susan to stay a while longer while Iain looks for work.

But it costs £3000, and Iain has launched a crowdfunding appeal to try to raise the cash. To donate, go to justgiving.com/iain-landsborough.

When the Con-Dems brought in the earnings rule, they said it would make sure foreign wives and husbands of British citizens did not end up claiming benefits.

Critics say it is heartless, breaks up families and unfairly targets the less well-off. They believe it costs the country far more than it will ever save, because spouses sent away would work and contribute to the economy if allowed to stay.

Campaigners estimated last year that 33,000 people either can’t stay with their partners or are prevented from bringing them to Britain because of the rules.

9.9 They added that 15,000 British kids were either separated from one parent or having to live abroad.

The Supreme Court heard an appeal against the rules last month and will make a judgment later this year.

A Home Office spokesman said: "All cases are carefully considered on their individual merits, in line with the immigration rules and based on evidence provided by the applicant.”