The Home Office's decision brings to an end years of uncertainty and fear for 12-year-old Bethlehem, Betty to her friends, and her mother Elsa Temesgen.

But there have also been heart warming moments as the community, school, church and MP Hilary Benn rallied together to help them fight to stay in the country.

Elsa said: "It is wonderful news after all that has happened.
"It's been a very difficult few years but we are now looking forward to Christmas and to finishing all this, it's a long process, then, after that I am looking for a job.

"I don't know how I can thank everyone who spent time and money to help us and I just say, God Bless them!
"Thank you is just a word, it is not enough and it doesn't express what I feel."

Betty said: "I am really happy. All my worries have gone now!"

Elsa and Betty have lived in Cottingley for five years after fleeing domestic violence in Ethiopia and seeking asylum in the UK.
Elsa, 39, is an Eritrean who married an Ethiopian, meaning that mother and daughter are of different nationalities.

Because of the long and bloody history between the two countries, she feared they would be discriminated against and at risk should they return to either country.

Twice, in September 2008 and January 2009, immigration officers raided their home and on the last occasion were all set to put them on a plane to Addis Ababa.

Storms of protest by civil rights campaigners and from supporters at the Beeston Hill United Free Church where they worship stopped the deportation going ahead and eventually led to their being released from the Yarls Wood Detention Centre.

Despite everything that has happened, Betty is determined to get on with her life and has made good friends at church and at Cottingley Primary and then Bruntcliffe High School.

Bruntcliffe's Headteacher, Lynda Johnson said: "I am absolutely delighted that she is going to stay because she is fully part of the Bruntcliffe community now, on the student council and playing a very positive role in the life of the whole school.

"She has never let it disrupt her education, she was always very positive and even though she has had difficult times she never let it show."

Rev Tony Lee, vicar at Beeston Hill paid tribute to Mrs Johnson for her support of Betty and to everyone who has fought for the pair since they joined the church three years ago.
He said: "It was wonderful news and all of us who have been working and praying for it are very happy with the result.
"They attend the church and church groups faithfully and have made some very firm friends and won the love and respect of the congregation."

A measure of that respect can be found in the fact that in January it was the congregation that raised bail and provided the assurances needed by the authorities before they would release Elsa and Betty from Yarls Wood to return home to Cottingley.

Rev Lee added: "The solicitor too did an excellent job in terms of the legal process and the end result was that the Home Office came back to him and said they wanted to start again and review the case.
"I think it was at that point they did start to take into account the lobbying and the assurances of support that we gave and the assurances Elsa gave that she would comply with the process. She has been very faithful in that."

On Sunday Elsa will host a lunch at the church to say thankyou to all their friends and supporters.
After that she is hoping to put her skills as a trained accountant to use and get a job, something she has been prevented from doing up until now under laws governing asylum seekers.