AN Albanian family, who once helped a Teesside opera singer learn their country's national anthem, have sworn an oath of allegiance to the Queen in a citizenship ceremony.
Kutjim Xepha and his wife, Natasha, helped Teesside opera singer Suzannah Clarke in 2001, when Albania played against England at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium.
The Xephas were among seven families presented with citizenship certificates during a ceremony at Eston Town Hall, Middlesbrough, yesterday.
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's mayor, Councillor Peter Spencer, presented the certificates to the new citizens, who all promised to respect the United Kingdom's rights and freedoms, faithfully observe its laws, and carry out their duties and obligations as British citizens.
Guests included children from Bankfields Primary School, Eston, who attended as part of their citizenship studies, which is now part of the national curriculum.
The council's cabinet member for corporate resources, Councillor Glyn Nightingale, said: "These are ceremonies which all new citizens go through before they can become British. So we welcome them all as fellow citizens and hope they all enjoy happy and prosperous lives with us."
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