LAWYERS for a Hong Kong family about to be deported from Britain applied yesterday for a full judicial review of their case.
If the bid fails, Cheung Ka-fu, 48, his wife Kit-ying, 44, and their two children are expected to be deported soon.
The Cheungs have lived in Britain for 10 years after working in the Netherlands. Only one of their two children, Alan, 15, has been to Hong Kong, when he was five months old. Both he and his sister, Helen, 11, speak little Chinese.
They were originally due to be deported in February after Home Office officials noticed Mrs Cheung had overstayed a visitor's permit when she applied for a new passport.
The family work in a fish and chip shop in Manchester and their case has won widespread local support.
The original deportation date passed but, last month, a Home Office letter to the family's MP said they were to be deported soon.