Elsa Temesgen Imbaye, 28, and her daughter, 11-year-old Bethlehem, fled Ethiopia.

Originally from Eritrea, Ms Temesgen said she had been subjected to violence by her husband.

She reached Britain with her daughter and sought asylum.

Campaigners say that as an Eritean she is regarded as persona non grata in Ethiopia and would not be allowed to live or work there.

She would also be regarded as a persona non grata in Eritrea having continued to live in Ethiopia with her Ethiopian husband after the creation of Eritrea .

She was refused asylum in 2005 and an appeal this year failed.

In the meantime, Ms Temesgen settled in Leeds, joined a church in Beeston in the south of the city, and her daughter settled in school.

Leeds Central Labour MP Hilary Benn has taken up her case, but on Thursday, September 25, the woman and child were seized at their home in Leeds and taken to Yarlswood Detention Centre to await forcible removal from Britain.

The Leeds No Borders group which campaigns against deportations said: "The family have settled extremely well in Leeds and have become active members of the community and the church.

"Elsa has enrolled for a course at Park Lane College in Leeds to gain a qualification in accountancy – she had been a professional accountant in Ethiopia before fleeing.

"Elsa's daughter has just started at her new secondary school and despite only being there for two or three weeks was already settling in and doing really well, especially in maths, which she excels at.

At her primary school, the teachers were really impressed by Bethlehem 's ability and willingness to learn and that she was top of the class in maths."

The group said Ms Temesgen was involved in voluntary work and runs a women's group.

She is also an active member of the Beeston Hill United Free Church.

"Elsa is a thoroughly decent human being who potentially has much to offer British society, as does her daughter who shows so much promise at school and has integrated so well," said the group.

The group is lobbying Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and is urging airline BMI not to take part in the deportation, which is planned for Wednesday, October 1.