COMMUNITY groups, political parties and churches are being urged to join the battle to save Ukrainian teenager Inna Haville from deportation.

The Swindon Trades Union Council has issued a rallying cry to the community to help save Inna, 19, from a life of poverty in her home country.

Sevenhampton couple Mark and Melanie Haville rescued Inna from a run down orphanage three years ago, but have now been told she must return home.

The TUC is launching a campaign next week to keep Inna in Swindon, and wants other groups to come on board.

The TUC, which backed the successful campaign against the deportation of Mumtaz Begum, wants to bombard the Home Office with letters supporting Inna's case.

The campaign to save Mumtaz ran between 1995 and 1997 after the Government ruled that, although the Swindon grandmother was seriously ill with a heart condition, she still had to return home to Pakistan.

Andy Newman, of the TUC, led the campaign, and believes there are many similarities with Inna's plight.

He said: "Like with Mumtaz, all legal avenues are now closed and we have to rely upon influencing the Government to show compassion.

"Swindon has a proud tradition of welcoming people, and there are hundreds of families with roots in Poland, Pakistan and elsewhere living happily here.

"It is up to us to persuade the Government to show some common sense."

Inna was allowed to stay in the UK on a two-year student visa. Since then, the Havilles have tried every legal avenue to keep her in the country, but the Government has ruled that there are no exceptional reasons for her to stay.

They have now been refused the right to challenge the decision on both legal and compassionate grounds. But they have not given up hope and are maintaining the pressure on the Home Office. They welcomed the support from the TUC.

Inna has no family in the Ukraine, and would be treated like a second class citizen because she was brought up in an orphanage.

Mrs Haville said: "It's wonderful to think that so many people care about Inna.

"There is nothing for her in the Ukraine."

A meeting to launch the campaign takes place on December 16 at 7.30pm at the Friends' Meeting House in Eastcott Hill, Swindon.