A mum from Rochester, who has been told she could be deported despite calling Britain home for 53 years, is stuck in a vicious cycle as she cannot afford to reapply for a permit to stay.

Eve Woods, of Leander Road, came to the UK from South Africa in 1962 with her mother and two siblings, on her mum’s passport.

After living in London for three years, the family came to Medway where Eve went to school, worked, got married, brought up three sons and mourned one of them.

The 57-year-old decided to go back to work last year as her youngest son, Shane, turned 19, but after three months working as a carer her employer asked her for proof she was allowed to work in the UK.

Eve, who lives with her partner Dave Gregory, had to apply to the Home Office for a No Time Limit permit, which would allow her to remain in the UK indefinitely, but she was refused.

She then received a letter from Capita, on behalf of the Home Office, which said she was liable to be deported.

But Eve said she is unable to reapply as she cannot afford the £300 fee for the application as she is not allowed to work.

She said: “I haven’t submitted the application again because, quite frankly, I can’t afford it. It’s £300 how can I find the money if I’m not allowed to work?

“I have had quite a lot of support which is really nice, I’m just trying to get on with my life, it’s all I can do, but it’s tough.”

In her last application Eve included her National Insurance number, marriage certificates, and her sons’ birth certificates but was told they weren’t enough.

She has now found old school reports and medical records which include immunisations from when she was of pre-school age.

Eve has also had a letter from the passport office, confirming that she has never held a passport, so she would not have been able to leave the country in the last 50 years.

“I just don’t know whether it will be enough,” she said. “I want to thank everyone for their positive comments and to the negative ones, I’d like to say I’ve worked in the country, got married in this country twice with no problems, until I tried to go back to work last year.”

Eve has contacted a solicitor who looked over the application and said there should be enough evidence for her to stay, if she were to apply for a new permit.

She has also contacted Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst who is investigating her case with the Home Office.

One of Eve’s friends has set up a petition calling on the Home Office to reverse their decision, so far more than 300 people have signed.

To sign the petition search Stop Evelyn Woods being deported on www.petition.parliament.uk.