Joy Bowman is training to be a nurse.

Joy Bowman, 49, and her daughter Chena, 15, both of Newcastle in north-east England, are celebrating after being granted indefinite leave to remain in the country.

In March, the pair were just hours away from deportation when the British Home Office agreed to review their asylum case.

Both her sons, Levon, 28, and Damian, 24, served in the British Army and her eldest was based in Basra.

Mrs Bowman came to the UK with her three children in 2001 claiming her abusive husband had threatened to kill her.

She was told she would have to leave the country with her daughter after a failed asylum application.

The trainee nurse spoke of her delight at being allowed to remain in Britain.

She said: "I am very happy. My friends and family are also over the moon."

'Traumatic wait'

Earlier this year, friends and supporters started a campaign to stop the deportation.

David Clelland, Labour MP for Tyne Bridge, supported the appeal by making representations to Home Office Minister Liam Byrne on behalf of Mrs Bowman and her daughter.

He said: "It's been a long, and traumatic, wait for the family and I am so pleased that we've finally managed to give this story a happy ending."

Her sons were allowed to serve in the British Army as they were Commonwealth citizens.

Both have now left the Army and have been granted permission to stay in the country by the Home Office.