AROUND 500 people have signed petitions to stop the deportation of a mum-of-two from The Meadows.

Ghanaian-born Selina Adda and her two children were taken to Yarl's Wood detention centre in Bedfordshire at around 7am on Monday.

It is thought there has been a mix-up in Miss Adda's appeal; she thought it was in the middle of being looked at, but now the deportation process has suddenly begun.

Residents, parents, and community groups are now campaigning to stop Miss Adda and her family being deported tomorrow.

Miss Adda, of Blair Court, The Meadows, sought asylum in Nottingham four years ago after fleeing from Ghana.

She was betrothed to marry a polygamous Muslim man 30 years her senior and so moved to the country's capital Accra. Her tribe found her and, even though she had a partner and two children, she was told that if she did not marry the man her mother would die, she said.

She then fled Ghana with her children, Brian now eight and Chelsea, four.

Her sister was promised in exchange and poisoned herself, according to friends.

Campaigner and friend, Helen Coppins, of Woolmer Road, said: "I run a kids' club and her children come round to play with mine every Monday.

"Initially when I heard I was just shocked, but then afterwards it hit me emotionally and I was really upset.

"I was left wondering how I would tell the kids at the club."

Arthur Piper's son is a friend of Brian and both attend St Patrick's Catholic School in Wilford.

Mr Piper, from Lenton, is campaigning alongside his wife Sarah and Mrs Coppins.

More than 250 people have signed their online petition and around 230 from The Meadows have signed a paper one.

The trio have also paid for a solicitor to fight Miss Adda's case and members of the community are offering to donate money towards the costs.

Mr Piper said: "We are hoping to get an injunction to stop Selina being flown out on Friday. The community, church leaders and parents are behind us.

"We are also getting people to write to the Home Office Minister of State Liam Byrne and British Airways."

The National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns is backing the community's fight against Miss Adda's deportation and have published details on their website.

And MP Alan Simpson is also offering his support.

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "We only seek to remove families who are in the UK unlawfully after independent courts have agreed they have no further right to remain in the UK.

"We would much rather that failed asylum seekers accepted that fact and left voluntarily.

"Sadly, some families choose not to do so even though they are given every opportunity to leave voluntarily. We then have a duty to enforce the law, tough though that may be in individual cases."

To sign the online petition visit www.petitionon line.com/asf03oct/petition.html

For more information on Selina's case see www.ncadc.org.uk.

tanya.holden@ nottinghameveningpost.co.uk