MONTHS of waiting in suspense have ended for an Albanian refugee living in Kent who has been told he can stay in Britain.

Luli Zefaj, 25, has lived in the Dover district for five years after he was shot in his homeland and fled in fear of his life.

He has worked for the last three years for the Dover company, Digital Dream, which produces digital cameras.

Mr Zefaj, a lLogistics manager, who now lives in Deal, has he is overjoyed at the outcome of his case and attributes it to the stalwart support he has received from his colleagues.

He is particularly indebted to managing director Chris Macsween, marketing director Cameron Macsween and finance director Alan Thomas.

In September, Mr Zefaj was taken into custody after a routine visit to immigration authorities in Dover. He was held in detention for 24 hours and told he would be deported back to Albania within 48.

His colleagues staged a mass protest at the docks and he was later released into their care while his case went to court.

The outcome of his case was based on human rights rather than asylum issues. The court upheld his right to have a life here because he had been in the country for so long and was so well established.

Mr Zefaj said: "It has been such a hard time waiting. My plans now are to work as hard as I can, to buy a house and create a nice life."