Christmas has come early for one Renton woman who was threatened with being deported to her native China because of a previous ‘mistake’ by her parents several years ago.

Accountant Chennan Fei, 30, currently lives with her fiancée, Duncan Harkness, in Renton.

She has lived in Scotland for over 16 years and had most of her education here, but she faced an appeal hearing tomorrow (Thursday, December 20) which could have resulted in her being sent her to a country she hasn’t lived in since she was a child.

However, Chennan has now received good news from her solicitor, Usman Aslam of Glasgow Law practice McGlashan MacKay, to say that the Home Office had decided to withdraw from the appeal hearing.

An online Change.org petition, urging the Home Office to ‘stop the deportation’, had gathered an amazing 139,493 signatures, with nearly 80,000 of them added in just the last few days.

Duncan said: “We got a call late last night from our amazing solicitor who informed us that, after a lengthy phone discussion with the Home office, they've decided to withdraw from this week's planned hearing.

“It’s still not over and we take nothing for granted until that visa drops through the letterbox, but we are super excited to get back to a normal life for now.

“We will now be frantically planning a wedding, a house purchase and all sorts of exciting things.

“From the bottom of our hearts we’d like to thank everyone who has followed the case and lent their support.”

Chennan, a voluntary charity worker, has told her friends and family that they won’t need to appear at the appeal hearing tomorrow.

And although it’s still very early days she is hopeful for positive outcome now.

Chennan said: “People can at least stop worrying about me this Christmas.

“I was really happy to hear this news from Usman, it was rather unexpected.

“It’s such a relief for me during the holiday season.

“Duncan and I are celebrating at the family home.

“All of us are overwhelmed by the news.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me and signed the petition.”

Lawyer Usman Aslam said: “The Home Office have looked at the evidence and our representations submitted for tomorrow’s hearing and have withdrawn with a view to not only reconsidering their position but recommending a form of status for Chennan.

“McGlashan MacKay Solicitors are delighted with this result as we have worked extremely hard to fight such an injustice.

“I’m glad that common sense has prevailed in the end.

“The support Chennan has had from the public, from SNP Councillor Annette Christie, her former MP Anne McLaughlin and current MP Martin Docherty-Hughes have both been phenomenal. We will never give up on our client’s cases.”

Chennan joined her parents in the UK when she was 13, but they failed to renew their status after a change in the law which means that she was classed as an over-stayer.

She only discovered this when she was an adult, after graduating from Edinburgh University.