A WOMAN says she fears for her fiance's life after he was dramatically deported back to Africa.

Fredrick Bale, 43, received a letter from the Home Office at the couple's home in Ormesby, Middlesbrough, telling him to report to Stockton police station, where he was detained before being taken back to Middlesbrough in an unmarked car.

He was taken to a detention centre in Scotland just over a week ago, then moved to Manchester before being put in a third centre near Heathrow.

Mr Bale was then flown back to Uganda on Friday.

Dawn Harris, 47, who is engaged to Mr Bale, said their lives had been torn apart, and said she feared her partner's life was now in real danger.

Ms Harris said: "I feel as though he's dead. I feel like I've lost him. I'm constantly in fear.

"You'd do anything for your partner, but I can't do anything. It's devastating."

The couple have been together for 15 months.

Marketing graduate Mr Bale came to Britain legally to seek political asylum in 2002.

He left his family and friends in Africa after being tortured while carrying out humanitarian work for a political party opposed to the Ugandan government. He still bears torture scars on his hands.

When his mother was murdered in Uganda, he struggled to find the funding for his engineering degree at the University of Teesside, in Middlesbrough - which he was due to start the final year of in September - but got by on family hand-outs and loans.

Ms Harris said: "He's worked so hard with his degree and we've got a good family unit.

"My friends, family and work colleagues have all said 'we'll support you'. They've been excellent, but it's legal help I need.

"We had less than a week to get an appeal together and stop it."

The Home Office refused to comment on the case, but said: "The UK government is committed to providing protection for those individuals found to be genuinely in need, in accordance with our commitments under international law."