Watch as Harrogate mum wins immigration battle and is told she can stay with husband and two-year-old son

The Home Office has reversed its decision to refuse a visa to a mother living in Harrogate, after more than 100,000 people signed a petition to keep her family together.

It's a call that Valentina Hynes has been hoping and praying for for months - and today, it finally came.

After months of fearing the worst, Valentina has been granted discretionary leave to remain in the UK with her husband and two-year-old son Harry-Zander.

Valentina and her family.Valentina and her family.
Valentina and her family.
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Minutes after hearing the news that she doesn't have to go back to Nigeria, Valentina told the 'Advertiser: "Now I have my life back. I can see my son grow up and be able to take credit for the incredible human he becomes.

"Stephen called to let me know, I was just shopping in Sainsbury's. I started jumping up and down and screaming. I was just so happy. My son can definitely sense the relief too, he was joining in with me. Now I can think about our future.

"And we will still fight for all those people who are going through the same thing as us."

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Stephen said: "It's a beautiful feeling, I thought we would get there in the end, but this gives Valentina peace of mind, which she has not had for such a long time."

Until last year, the couple were living together in Nigeria with Harry-Zander, but when Stephen suffered a heart attack during a visit to see his family in the UK last spring, Valentina stayed to support him on a visitor’s visa.

Before the visitor’s visa expired, Valentina applied for discretionary leave on the grounds that her husband and son needed her - but her application for discretionary leave to remain in the UK was refused, and Valentina would have faced going back to Nigeria without her son or husband, if her appeal was unsuccessful.

A decision from the Home Office was originally expected in February next year, but after mounting public pressure, their news came today.

Speaking ahead of the decision today, Valentina said returning to Nigeria would 'tear her family apart' and cause "irreparable damage."