Husband fights to stay in the UK

Eugene Sands does not want to leave the country

An American man who moved to England to keep a promise to his dying wife has been told he has three months to leave the country.

Eugene Sands, 76, buried his wife Iris's ashes at a cemetery in Shirley, Solihull, in August 2003.

Since then he has been renting a room nearby so he can visit the plot every day, following a promise he made with his Birmingham-born wife.

He has lodged an appeal to remain but must leave on 11 October if it fails.

Mr Sands met his wife when she visited Baltimore in the US in 1961. The couple married in 1963 and eventually moved to Los Angeles where they remained until Mrs Sands died in 2003.

I am not going home. I promised her I would stay and I will Eugene Sands

She wanted to be buried with her parents in the Robin Hood cemetery in Shirley and so Mr Sands came to England to carry her out her wishes. He also said the couple made a promise not to be parted.

He said: "I never thought I would need a visa.

"I have since followed immigration's instructions. But, they have finally decided I have to go."

He has since applied for a visa and was turned down, and then turned down again on appeal.

Mr Sands said he does not claim any benefits in the UK, living on his US social security which is about £600 per month.

'Sad story'

He said: "Immigration did give me the number of a solicitor and I have a meeting with them later. I have also met with my MP, John Hemming, and he is going to try to help.

"I am not going home. I promised her I would stay and I will. I have nothing in the US."

Iris Sands was born and grew up in Birmingham

Mr Sands said he has no family in the US, apart from two brothers who he has not seen for many years.

"I go to the cemetery as often as I can. I pray every day that I can stay here," he said.

Mr Hemming, Lib Dem MP for Birmingham Yardley, said he had been shocked at the government's decision.

He said: "We have lodged an appeal. It is a very sad story. He is just trying to honour a commitment he made to his wife when she was alive.

"I think the government is being harsh."

A Home Office spokesman said they did not comment on individual cases.

However, he added: "All applications are considered carefully and compassionately.

"We want people who have no right to stay in Britain to leave of their own accord but where they refuse we will enforce their removal."

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Eugene Sands does not want to leave his wife's memorial