A FOUR-YEAR-OLD who is at the centre of a cross-channel tug-of- love battle was taken away from her mother by police to hand over to her French father.

An official complaint has now been made to Wiltshire Chief Constable Elizabeth Neville about the way Tilly Annis was seized from her Burbage home by police acting on a High Court order.

Since the seizure of the child from her mother, Sarah, the youngster has been in the care of Westminster Social Services.

Ms Annis, who has reverted to her maiden name following a divorce from French husband Dominique Volant, was at her home in High Street, Burbage, when police called at about 8pm a week ago yesterday evening.

There followed what Ms Annis's mother, Pam Annis, called "a three hour stand-off" which eventually resulted in the family allowing two police officers to take the child at about 11pm. A police spokesman said: "The child's father's solicitor presented Wiltshire Police with a High Court order which instructed them to return the child to her father.

"The police were obliged to serve that High Court order on the mother and recover the child.

"The father waited at divisional police headquarters in Salisbury with his solicitor until police officers returned from Burbage with the child who was handed to him."

Mrs Annis said that they were surprised at the father's lawyers implementing the court order when their daughter had said she would be going to the High Court this week to challenge the order made originally by a court in M Volant's hometown of St Nazaire in Brittany.

Earlier this year Ms Annis went into hiding with Tilly after the Family Division of the High Court in London recognised a French court order giving custody of the girl to her father.

In spite of the court issuing a seek and find order, police and court officials were unable to find the pair but Ms Annis came out of hiding last week and told police she would appear at the High Court when necessary.

Mrs Annis said: "The full legal argument will be heard by the court next Monday and Sarah will be attending."

She added: "Our family has been put through three and a half years of pure unadulterated hell."

M Volant's solicitor, Richard Sharp of Thring and Townsend solicitors in Swindon, said the hearing on Monday would decide where Tilly was to stay.