Asylum family's case review hope

The family has received strong support from people in Plymouth

A family facing deportation to Nigeria is having its case looked at again.

Helen and her six children came to the UK in 2003 and moved to Plymouth a year later when her husband returned home.

Stoke Damerel College, where four of the children studied, began a protest after the family was taken to Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre.

Now the family may qualify for a Case Resolution Exercise where individual circumstances, including compassionate grounds, are taken in to account.

One of Helen's sons, Emmanuel, 14, suffers from sickle cell anaemia.

Their welfare is of the utmost importance Home Office

Helen, who has asked not to be named in full, did not eat for six days in protest at the decision to remove them from Britain.

The Home Office, which is to look at the family's case again later this week, said it could not comment on individual cases.

In a statement to BBC News, a spokesman said: "We only remove people whose asylum claims have been dismissed by an independent judge.

"Even then, their welfare is of the utmost importance, and their removal should be swift and handled with compassion.

"We prefer for people to leave the UK voluntarily. However, if they do not it becomes necessary to enforce their departure and this can include a stay in detention.

"Families with children are detained only where this is absolutely necessary for as short a period as possible."

If Helen's family does qualify for a Case Resolution Exercise, the government could grant indefinite leave to remain in the country.

School governor

Support for the family - Theresa, 19, Winston and Mac, both 16, Emmanuel, 14, Fred, 10, and Richard, six - has grown since students at Stoke Damerel began their campaign.

The family's claim for asylum - fearing domestic "abuse, cruel treatments and death threats" if they returned to Africa - was rejected. Two appeals also failed.

Helen has worked voluntarily for the Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support Council and as a researcher for the University of Lancashire.

She is also a governor at St Peter's Church of England School in Plymouth.