A DISTRAUGHT mum and her fiance at the centre of a child snatch case will go to court in a bid to improve their chances of getting her daughters back from the Middle East.

Josephine Bromley and fiance Paul Tomlinson, of Lower Darwen, want girls Noor Al-Momani, six, and Salam Al-Momani, 10, made wards of court so the Jordanian government is more likely to send them home.

The girls were snatched by their father and Pauline's ex-husband, factory worker Jehad Al-Momani, 37, of Station Road, Great Harwood, after an agreed access visit last week.

Heartbroken mother Josephine, 33, said he duped the girls into thinking they were going to Alton Towers before getting on a flight to Jordan.

He is believed to have returned to his home village of Abeen, a few miles outside the capital Amman, where police are searching for him.

Josephine, a beautician and Mr Tomlinson, 40, who works at Blackburn engineering firm Netlon, will go before a district judge at Blackburn County Court in Victoria Street on Thursday.

The couple's solicitor Miss Shirley Tempest of Forbes Solicitors in Blackburn, is currently waiting to hear whether they will be granted legal aid to help fight their case.

Their first bid for legal aid was refused, but Miss Tempest has appealed against the decision.

She said: "Although Jordan does not recognise British law, making the children wards of court would make it a High Court matter and the government there would be more likely to take more notice."

Making the children wards of court will mean they are technically the court's responsibility, rather than the parents', a change which would give more clout in any negotiations with the Jordanian government. Mr Tomlinson said: "We went to court in June, 2000, to sort out the question of access and we weren't at all happy with what the judge decided because we were very suspicious about what the girl's father might do.

"However we had to abide by the judge's ruling and that was that.

"Hopefully now this has happened he will have some sympathy for us and be feeling a bit embarrassed about the whole thing.

"I would like to think that will be the case because this hearing is our only hope at the moment."

A spokesman for the legal services commission said it was highly unlikey that legal aid would be granted.

They said: "We agree that this is a very distressing case. However we are of the view that a court order obtained in this country would have no effect in Jordan where the children now are, and this alone would mean that legal aid could not be granted.

"Also we believe that Miss Bromley is unlikely to be eligible for legal aid on financial grounds."

Police, the Foreign Office and Interpol are currently liaising with the Jordanian Government to try to get the children back.

The girls, who attend Lower Darwen Primary School, are not thought to be in any danger.

A Jordanian-born Darwen councillor today said she was working with the Middle East country's government to ensure the children were returned to Britain.

Karimeh Foster, a Lib Dem councillor on Blackburn with Darwen Council, who left Jordan 23 years ago and has lived in the area for 22 years, said: "I have spoken to the Jordanian embassy but the ambassador wasn't available.

"I have spoken to the consul in Britain and he has promised to speak to the Jordanian Foreign Minister about the situation.

"I have written to the embassy in London on the family's behalf and I have no doubt they will do all they can to help.

"I hope my contacts in Jordan and in the Jordanian government will do their best and am certain they will."