CANTERBURY High School students are celebrating a last-minute victory in their bid to keep sixth form Afghan student Amin Buratee in the country.

Home Office Minister Des Browne has told the city's MP Julian Brazier he was granting Amin leave to remain in the UK to finish his A-level studies.

The news was broken to Amin's school friends and supporters yesterday by the Kentish Gazette newspaper in the middle of a peaceful demonstration at Canterbury's Buttermarket.

It comes after a week of intense pressure from students, refugee groups, city councillors and Mr Brazier.

Sher Kadami, 16, a fellow Afghan and classmate of Amin, said: "I am speechless. I am so happy. I want to see Amin straight away and give him a hug."

Refugee volunteer groups said the victory was just the first in a long struggle to secure asylum for other students in the district.

Students held today' silent demo in protest at the planned deportation of Amin. He was due to be flown back to Afghanistan capital Kabul on Saturday.

An appeal to stay in the UK was rejected by the Home Office in May.

Amin has been held at the Dover removal centre since last week after a dawn raid by immigration officials at his home in Whitstable.

FULL STORY IN TODAY'S KENTISH GAZETTE