Ten immigrants, protesting against an expulsion order by the French government, have ended a fifty-day hunger strike after reaching a compromise with the authorities.

A government mediator said the protestors -- Algerians and Tunisians who had been living in France for most of their lives -- could remain for a further six months, with the possibility of then extending their stay.

All had served prison terms in France.

The agreement comes as the French authorities try to complete an eleven-month review of tens-of-thousands of applications for residence permits from illegal immigrants.

About one-hundred-and-forty-thousand have applied for papers and preliminary indications suggest that about half will be told to leave the country.

Thousands more did not come forward because of their reluctance to reveal their presence to the authorities.