Raquel Frederico left her homeland three years ago to start a new life after, she says, she was subjected to sexual abuse, forced to work without pay and had no education.

The 24-year-old set up home in Fence Houses after arriving in England in January 2005.

She was recently interviewed by the immigration service but said: "I don't know what's going on."

She said: "I came as an asylum seeker. I'm very happy to have been here. I'm very frightened. It will be very bad in Angola. That's why I am here."

Raquel has been questioned several times by North Shields immigration officials and warned that she and her daughter Membia Audiva Frederico Domingoes could be removed at any time.

When her friends at Shiney Row College, where she was studying nursing, heard about her plight, they launched a campaign to keep the popular student here.

Now, more than six months later, Raquel is still living under the threat of being deported.

Although the immigration service refuses to discuss individual cases, a spokeswoman said: "All applications for asylum are carefully considered on accurate information and taking into account all the circumstances of an application.

"If an application is refused, there is a right of appeal to the independent appellate authorities against that decision.

"We only seek to return those who the asylum decision-making and independent appeals processes have found do not need international protection and who can therefore return safely.

"We consider it reasonable to expect an individual in that position to return to their source country."