A family of Pakistani Christians who had been living in Glasgow and faced being deported from the UK won a last-minute reprieve hours before they were due to return to their homeland.

A family of Pakistani Christians who had been living in Glasgow and faced being deported from the UK won a last-minute reprieve hours before they were due to return to their homeland.

Asad and Gullrukh Gul and their three children were taken from their city home to the Dungavel Detention Centre, Lanarkshire, last week.

They were then transferred to the Yarl's Wood facility, Bedfordshire, and were to be deported to Lahore last night.

But five hours before their flight was expected to take off from Heathrow Airport, it emerged a judicial review of their case had been granted.

Glasgow friends of the family, who say they fled from Lahore after they were persecuted by Islamic extremists because of their faith, welcomed the development.

Graeme Bell, minister of Carnwadric Church in Kennishead, said: "We are delighted. They genuinely feel their lives are at risk if they return to Pakistan."

The family fled Pakistan almost a year ago after Mr Gul was targeted for printing Christian literature and accused of blasphemy, an offence which carries the death penalty.

If he is returned to Pakistan and executed, his children, aged 18 months, three and five, will be put in the care of a Muslim family.

A Home Office spokesman said: "We will not remove someone if they have an application outstanding or are pursuing an avenue of appeal."