A HEARTBROKEN mother whose baby daughter was kidnapped from Barry by her estranged husband and taken to war torn Libya made a desperate appeal for her return.

Malgorzata Szymanowicz, 34, was at Mothercare when her 15-week-old daughter was abducted by her father and taken to the lawless capital city of Tripoli.

The cruel dad is refusing to return little Talia to the safety of her home in Britain - and her mum fears she will never see her beaming smile again.

Father Maher Belaid, 35, said he would rather go to jail than give up the "tug of love" child and is now serving a six-and-a-half year prison sentence.

Malgorzata said: "My heart is broken, I can't even put my pain into words.

"I wonder if I will ever see my beautiful daughter again. I cry every single day for her. She was only-15-weeks old when she was stolen, now she is two. Its so long since I held her in my arms, they feel so empty.

"What Belaid has done is beyond cruel. He has deprived Talia of a mother and me of my only child. It's a physical pain that never goes away.

"It's like being in a never-ending nightmare - there must be someone out there who can help me get my baby girl back."

Libyan national Belaid was in Britain working in a pizza takeaway when he met Mal - they got married and had a child together.

Their marriage - the only thing which allowed Belaid to stay in the UK - broke down soon after Talia was born.

And Belaid made a plan behind Malgorzata's back to secretly take their child from the couple's home and travel to the North African country which is in the midst of a bloody civil war.

Malgorzata said: ""It was an ordinary day and we went shopping as a family into town.

"While I was buying new clothes for Talia my husband said he would go for a coffee with Talia but instead he kidnapped her and took her to Libya."

Malgorzata has been apart from her daughter since November 2012 - and has only seen her during brief Skype calls.

Little Talia, now two, is being looked after by Belaid's Libyan family and calls her grandmother "mum".

Malgorzata added: "I've been allowed to s

ee her on Skype for a few minutes but she now calls my husband's mother 'mum'.

"She doesn't even really know who I am."

Belaid returned to the UK earlier this year, but didn't bring Talia with him, he was arrested at Gatwick airport for abduction.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how his baby snatch was inspired by his uncle Mohammed who also stayed in Libya with his young daughter and not allowed her to return to Britain.

Judge Patrick Harrington QC told Maher to return Talia to the UK but he refused to co-operate.

He said: "You put into effect a cruel deception and the torment you have inflicted on a very nice girl is simply beyond measure. Rarely have I seen a case of such unspeakable cruelty."

There is no prospect of Talia being returned home and Malgorzata is desperately hoping someone can help her get her daughter back.

Mal has written to the Prime Minister and the British Embassy in Libya begging for help but is no closer to bringing her little girl home.