A COMMUNITY has launched a campaign to bring a family of asylum seekers back to Blackburn after "inhuman" officials swooped at dawn and deported them.

Teachers, a senior church figure and friends have pledged their support to Illia Davydov, his wife and three children, who they say had become an important part of life in Mill Hill and Livesey.

Immigration officials and police swooped at the family's home in Cockridge Close without warning and took them to a detention centre, before deporting them back to Israel four days later.

The swoop, earlier this month, came just weeks after it emerged that the Home Office had no idea how many illegal immigrants were in the country and that it had also released 1,000 asylum seeker criminals from prison without considering them for deportation.

Today John East, the asylum support co-ordinator for community help group Blackburn with Darwen Churches Together, said families like the Davydovs were being picked on as "easy targets" to reduce the asylum figures.

He said: "We have been appalled by the way they have been treated.

"It is inhumane and endemic of the problems of the Home Office."

Teachers at the children's school, who have launched a petition to allow them to return, said that the Davydovs were a "lovely family" who would been a benefit to the community had they been allowed to stay.

Blackburn MP Jack Straw has written a letter to Dr John Reid, the Home Secretary, about the case. But today his office said it was unclear what, if anything, could be done.

Dad Illia, mum Galina, and children Illia, 14, Daniel, 10, and Brian, nine, arrived in England to seek asylum last October.

After registering with the National Asylum Seeker Support Service, they were sent to live in a rented home in Blackburn.

The younger children were given a place at St. Aidan's Primary, Norfolk Street, Mill Hill, while Illia Jnr was sent to Witton Park High School Business and Enterprise College.

Mr Davydov, a former professional footballer, claimed asylum because he said the family was being persecuted in Israel due to their Christianity.

They moved there 14 years ago from Russia. He said: "My car was blown up when I tried to switch it on.

"I was extremely lucky to survive. I escaped. I believe I was not injured thanks to Jesus.

"My wife was assaulted several times and there was no help from the police.

"And my youngest son had stone thrown at his head and there were suspicious packages that blew up near our home by the special forces."

But despite his claims their asylum application was rejected.

Mr Davydov, who had no legal representation, thought an appeal was pending, but officials swooped on their home "without warning" shortly after 6am.

He added: "They always hurried us up and didn't allow us to take all our things.

"I tried to explain it was a mistake, that I was still waiting for a response from the tribunal court where we had appealed.

"We felt like we were criminals and the Yarl Wood detention centre felt like a prison. "

The family say they did not know they were being sent back to Israel until they boarded a plane at Heathrow four days later.

They are now living in Jerusalem while friends in England try to put pressure on the government to hear their appeal.

None of their friends in Mill Hill knew they had been deported until an official who had been helping the family was finally told after spending 17 hours sending 13 faxes to the government.

Mr East said: "As far as I know they were awaiting an appeal but one morning a clandestine operation was mounted where they were taken to an immigration centre.

"They had no access to legal aid or support.

"They would have brought a lot to the community as they were a very good family.

"But the government don't see it like that.

"They just want to get down the numbers of asylum seekers and families like this are easy targets.

"They should be targeting illegal immigrants, such as people involved in sex offences, people trafficking and drugs offences."

A spokesman for Jack Straw's office said: "We have written to the Home Office to get their side of the story.

"We have had an acknowledge-ment they have received the letter but not a response.

"We have asked if the family can appeal even though they are out of the country.

"But we do not know what, if anything, can be done until we receive the Home Office's reply."

A spokesman for the Home Office said they would not comment on individual cases.

l An online petition to support the cause can be signed on www.ipetitions.com/petition/humane