The proposed deportation was to Germany in the first instance, although of course they were in danger of being deported from there to Turkey. Also Meltem's mother was being deported with her.

Thanks should go above all to Robina Quereshi of Positive Action in Housing who helped waged a magnificent campaign with hundreds of e-mails bombarding BA and the Home Secretary. Although they didn't succeed in stopping the deportation campaign it clearly had an effect in that Meltem and her mother were too distraught to get onto the plane and for once the immigration officers had to think twice about the normal brutal assaults on asylum seekers.

It gives us an opportunity to redouble our efforts to get them first out of Yarl's Wood.