Asylum family can stay in Britain

Sabrina Bamburac will be able to continue her tennis

A Croatian family which sought asylum in the UK has welcomed news it can stay on Tyneside indefinitely.

The Bamburacs were told in 2003 that they had to leave their Newcastle home of five years.

But the family has now received paperwork allowing it to stay in Britain.

The family had argued to remain on Tyneside under human rights legislation - saying their lives would be in danger if they returned to Croatia.

Ten-year-old Sabrina has been spotted as one of England's brightest tennis prospects by the Lawn Tennis Association.

She and her family fled from war-torn Croatia to Newcastle in 1998.

'Normal family'

They lived under the threat of deportation, and last year were due to be expelled on the day Sabrina took part in a national competition.

But now they've been given the official documents that say they can stay in Britain indefinitely.

Sabrina's mother Banka, said: "I can't explain the feeling I have now.

"It's great and we are over the moon. I am smiling all the time and am so happy.

"We can now forget about all the things we were going through.

"We are looking forward to starting a new life here now.

"The last five years have been an agony and nightmare and for a normal family like ours. It has been really difficult."

In August 2003, Newcastle East and Wallsend MP and former Cabinet Minister Nick Brown, presented a petition in the House of Commons signed by more than 1,400 friends and neighbours of the family.

The Home Office said it was unable to discuss individual cases.