A SURVIVOR of child trafficking and modern slavery who has built a new life in the North shared his harrowing story with MPs as a campaign against his deportation gathers pace.

The 19-year-old told MPs how, as an orphan living on the streets of Vietnam, he was picked up by a criminal gang and shipped to the UK and forced to work in a cannabis factory.

It was only when the operation was raided by police that he was rescued and, then aged 16, taken in by a vicar’s family in Shildon, County Durham.

Having gained an education and settled in the town, Stephen, whose real identity is withheld for his protection, applied for Asylum and Humanitarian Protection but over Christmas discovered that had been refused by the Home Office.

An appeal against the decision is due to be heard next week and has won widespread support from that of the Bishop of Durham Paul Butler to around 30 organisations including children’s charities ECPAT UK, Barnardo’s and the Children’s Society.

Additionally, a petition calling for him not to be removed to a country he has not visited in nine years and where he has no family, work or support network has been signed by more than 109,000 people.

Yesterday, Stephen and foster sister Naomi Tomlinson travelled to London to deliver the petition to Parliament and address politicians about the case.

Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman has also called on Home Secretary Amber Rudd to reverse the decision and raised the issue in the House of Commons yesterday.

She told members: “My constituent Stephen was trafficked to the UK as a child and forced to work in a cannabis factory but the Home Office want to send him back to Vietnam.

“Could we please have a debate on interaction between the protection of victims of modern slavery and the Asylum and Immigration system.”

In response, the Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom agreed Stephen’s was ‘a very concerning case’.

She said: “For all of us as constituency MPs we do raise particular cases with the Home Office, I’m sure they would be happy to look again at this case and if she wants to email me I can take it up with them on her behalf.”