A VICTIM of domestic violence is starting a new life in Bury after a landmark victory that saw the Home Office drop moves to deport her.

Now the woman, originally from Pakistan, has been granted permanent residency in the UK, to lead her life free from fear of her husband and relatives in her homeland.

In what is thought to be the first success of its kind, social services, together with the domestic violence unit, Bury Law Centre and with the help of Bury South MP Ivan Lewis, fought the Home Office to allow Salema, not the victim's real name, to stay in this country.

Salema arrived in Britain on a 12-month visa following her marriage in Pakistan. But her marriage, which she described as "unbearable", soon broke down. She fled to Bury to escape escalating violence. Once in the borough, she went into hiding. But because her husband had not filed papers entitling her to stay in Britain, Salema was classed as an "overstayer" and was living in the country illegally.

Terrified of being deported, she turned to the local authority for help, scared of what would happen if she was forced to returned to Pakistan. Bury Social Services managed to obtain funding for her case to be dealt with Bury Law Centre.

Despite losing the initial case, Bury Law Centre decided to continue the fight to keep Salema in the country. They discovered that a social services letter to the Home Office had not been taken in account when the decision to deport her was made. The decision was reversed by the Government department when Bury Law Centre decided to apply for a judicial review.

Bury Council's executive member for health, housing and social services, Coun Mike Connolly, said: "The success of Salema's case is a credit to the people who have given their time and an enormous effort over and above that required in their roles as professionals.

"This was a major case and to our knowledge, the only one which has resulted in a grant of permanent stay in this country.

"Violence, verbal and physical, is very difficult to prove and quantify. Salema is one person and there are many more suffering in silence and ignorance of their rights and how to change their lives. Her case has now given hope that more people will come forward for help."