A FAMILY of asylum seekers who have for years volunteered for community work are fighting to stay here after being told they have no strong "connection" to Glasgow.

A FAMILY of asylum seekers who have for years volunteered for community work are fighting to stay here after being told they have no strong "connection" to Glasgow.

Andre Karpov, his wife Marina and their three children fear they are days away from being forcibly removed from their home after an appeal to remain in Scotland was turned down by immigration officials.

The family, whose 3-year-old son Michael was born in the city, have suffered a blow in their bid to stay in Scotland four years after they arrived here from Israel.

Marina has been a volunteer at the Citizen's Advice Bureau in Pollok for three years, counselling on problems including homelessness and debt.

And the family's fight has been backed by the principal of Cardonald college where Andre works voluntarily as an IT technician.

The family, who live in Cardonald, argued that it would be a breach of human rights legislation to remove the children after four years in Glasgow but their appeal has been turned down.

The couple say children Esther, 8, and four-year-old Anna are settled in a Jewish school on the outskirts of the city.

Marina, 29, said: "It seems unfair I have helped a lot of people in Glasgow with their problems but we were told that we don't have a strong enough connection to the city.

"We have a lot of friends here and everybody has been so supportive.

"The children are settled here.

"Glasgow is their world. They would not understand why we have to move.

"It is getting to the stage I am afraid of every knock on the door.

"The manner they do it is very harsh."

The family's plea to remain in Scotland has been backed by Citizens Advice Bureau bosses and Cardonald College principal Susan Walsh.

The further education centre chief said: "I and all my colleagues who know Andre are strongly of the view that he would be a great asset to the community and would contribute to it economically.

"He is very popular with colleagues and is the model of a dilligent employee."

A spokeswoman for the UK Border Agency said: "When the asylum decision-making processes and the courts have found families are not in need of international protection, we expect them to leave the UK."

A recent report by the Scottish Refugee Council claimed new research confirmed that by denying asylum seekers the chance to stay and work here, skills such as those of IT specialists, teachers, town planners and surveyors are lost to the UK.