Visa battle couple are flying the flag back in Shropshire

David Pountney, 55, and his American wife Cindy, 51, have been battling against a visa decision that stopped the couple coming home to help look after David's parents in Broseley.

The village threw a welcoming party for the couple on Sunday.

Mr Pountney said: "It was hard work and I could not have done it without Cindy.

"She did so much research and found so many cases and different things to help. But we could never have done it either without the support from back home.

"It hasn't sunk in that we are back yet – it still feels like we are going back any minute or that we aren't here.

"I never thought that this would happen, you don't think that people back here would be so supportive and help us so much."

At the beginning of the year the couple thought their case was settled when a judge ruled there was enough support back home in Broseley for them to return.

Devastating news followed in April when they were told that, following a delay in postage, an appeal had in fact been launched by the Home Office and they would have to start the process all over again.

But a judge again ruled in their favour and in September the Home Office finally asked for Cindy's passport to be processed, so she could get a visa to stay in the UK.

Mrs Pountney has been turned down for a visa by the UK Border Agency because she did not have an income in the UK – leaving David in an impossible position.

The couple decided to come back to England to look after David's mum and dad, Dave, 81, and Beryl, 78, after his father underwent a triple heart bypass before finding out he had fluid on his lungs.

But after an 18-month battle and a petition signed by hundreds in the Broseley area, the pair are back on Shropshire soil and couldn't be happier.

"I can't really believe that we are back yet if I'm honest," said Mr Pountney. "It doesn't feel real."

Mrs Pountney said: "David's mum and dad need us, and we always said that we would be here if they needed us.

"I have been here twice before, and I have worked here and volunteered in the community and I was just so shocked when my visa was refused. I think it was a case of rules taking over common sense, but thankfully we are back home.

"I am thrilled, totally over the moon to be back – it's so good to be able to look after them."

Mr Pountney's parents say they are delighted to welcome the pair back home, who will now be living with them in their Broseley home.

Beryl said: "We haven't seem them for about six years, it is so lovely to see them. I can't even say how fantastic it is that they are back home.

"We always talked about three or four times a week on the phone, but we needed them here to look after us.

"Especially his dad, we need them here to drive him to hospital and help us with different things."

The couple thought their case was settled at the beginning of the year when a judge ruled there was enough support in Broseley for them to return.

They were then told an appeal had been launched by the Home Office and they would have to start the process all over again. But a judge again ruled in their favour.

The pair returned last Thursday and were warmly welcomed by friends and family at a party on Sunday.

Mrs Pountney believes it is all thanks to the support from local people. "We could not have done it without them," she said.