THE family of a South African stroke specialist were yesterday given special permission to stay in Britain after a successful campaign to stop them being deported.

Dr Akif Gani, 36, has worked for 11 years in Newcastle, where he has specialised in treating the elderly at the city's General Hospital.

Last month his wife, Somayya, 29, three-year-old daughter, Aalia, and their 11-month-old son, Shakeel, were informed by the Home Office that they did not have leave to remain in this country.

They were given eight days to appeal or leave.

Patients and other supporters of the family, who live in Newcastle, feared that if Dr Gani - who was not threatened with deportation - left with his family, the health service would struggle to replace such a key specialist.

Dr Gani, 36, said: "We are very much relieved and pleased we can now get on with our lives.

"We never expected the original application to be refused so it all came as quite a shock, thankfully everything is now sorted out.

Newcastle East and Wallsend MP Nick Brown, who pressed the Home Office for a review, said: "I think the Home Office took the right decision in their review by allowing the family to stay together on compassionate grounds."

The couple married in 1999 and their children were born in Britain, although neither Aalia nor Shakeel qualified as British because their parents were not settled in Britain.

The case arose when Dr Gani applied for indefinite leave to stay, for him and his family. The Home Office initially only offered him the right to stay, but said his family must leave.