A DESPERATE mum is embroiled in a struggle with her ex-partner to see her daughter after he took her to live in the Czech Republic.

Tracy Glover lived with the father of her child and her 10-year-old daughter in the Czech Republic for eight years after they met in Bradford 14 years ago.

However, a week after they moved back to West Yorkshire in 2016, Tracy's former partner returned home with the girl without informing the mum.

The last time she saw her daughter was Christmas.

The man was acting under the legal protection of the Hague Convention, which governs cases of child custody across international borders.

Under the legislation, a child's home is considered to be the country in which he or she has lived longest, meaning Tracy cannot see her daughter unless she goes to back to the Czech Republic or holiday visiting rights are approved.

The 44-year-old now wants to make more mothers aware of the law, which she says can be used to "weaponise" estranged partners.

She said: "The convention is a tool of control and it isn't good for my daughter and this isn't in her best interests.

"Nobody wants to be taken away from their daughter when I have been the primary carer all her life.

"I lived in the Czech Republic for so long because if I left with my daughter he could have had me arrested for child abduction."

Tracy said she was unhappy living in the Czech Republic and, as her relationship began to fall apart, she claims they agreed to return to Bradford and separate, but remain in the country so both parents could see their child.

However, her ex-partner, who does not want to be named, denied this was the case and said he was under the impression they were returning to the UK because Tracy's mum was ill.

He said: “I didn’t agree to that. Why would I leave after one week?

“We came to Bradford because Tracy said her mum was ill and had a really bad heart condition, her mum had collapsed and nobody else could look after her.

“She said to come back for a bit but we didn’t know how long for.

“When we got to England and her mum’s house I could see that she wasn’t ill.

“She was in a perfect condition and I knew something was wrong."

He eventually decided to return to the Czech Republic with his daughter and without telling Tracy, but could not explain why when he was asked by the Telegraph and Argus.

His daughter, he claims, is happy where she is and he is willing to find a solution.

“She has plenty of friends here,” he added.

“Her grandparents are here and she has everything.

“I think she is happy and is very well behaved, and has the best marks at school. She is good."