A Stevenage mother has lost her appeal against an extradition order to return with her five-year-old daughter to Spain. The woman, whose identity has been banned by the court despite she and daughter being named in the media recently, was given the news w

A Stevenage mother has lost her appeal against an extradition order to return with her five-year-old daughter to Spain.

The woman, whose identity has been banned by the court despite she and daughter being named in the media recently, was given the news when her appeal against extradition was denied by the Court of Appeal in London's High Court yesterday (Wednesday).

"I am very upset at the decision. I could be deported within the next seven days," said the mother.

"I am in a bit of a daze and not sure what to do now. I will now just have to wait for the order and I could be sent back to Tenerife with my daughter within the next seven days.

"I just don't know what will happen when I get back to Tenerife. I fear I could be arrested and questioned on charges of child abduction and kidnapping. I am very unhappy and very worried."

The woman, who is in her thirties, was due to fly out to Tenerife two weeks ago and be met by Spanish police, but she stayed here until the outcome of her appeal.

In 2002 she met a Spanish barman while working in Tenerife. They split up within a year and, and on discovering she was pregnant, she moved back to Stevenage to be near her mother.

She returned to Tenerife on a number of occasions with her daughter, and because one visit lasted more than 12 months, Spanish law dictates she had to apply for official leave to take her daughter, as the child is a Spaniard, out of the country.

The woman has always maintained that the father abandoned her and her daughter when he went to live on a different Spanish island.

Once back on Spanish soil the woman will be interviewed by the Spanish authorities and a civil court is likely to decide who has full custody of her daughter.