A Gambian woman who was facing deportation from the U.K. was given a reprieve after her removal was cancelled at the last minute.

Fatou Tamba, who has been living in the UK for the past 18 years, was set to be deported to The Gambia on Tuesday evening but the U.K. immigration authorities cancelled the removal.

It followed protests by family and friends who had repeatedly warned that if Fatou is deported to The Gambia, she could face huge danger.

Fatou is well-known and loved in Liverpool, where she has become a key figure in various community groups, reports Liverpool-based newspaper, The ECHO.

She has a partner, a son and a brother in the UK. However, Fatou herself has had her bids for asylum in this country rejected.

The 55-year-old was detained by immigration officials in March and has been held at Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre in the North East, pending a planned deportation flight to The Gambia.

“The lawyer working on Fatou’s case received a notification from the Home Office that the removal order had been cancelled until further notice.

“They did not give another date and we don’t know if this means that they are cancelling the application. We hope this means that they have seen sense after all the information that has been sent to him,” Lamine, Fatou’s brother, told The Echo.

Lamine added: “We hope that her application to remain in this country on the basis of family life will now be accepted.”