The first group of Afghan asylum seekers to be forcibly deported from Britain since the fall of the Taliban regime were due to be flown out of the country today.
The group of around 30 were expected to be escorted on to a flight leaving from Gatwick Airport, according to reports.
The Home Office stopped sending refugees back to Afghanistan eight years ago due to instability in the country, and failed Afghan asylum seekers were granted exceptional leave to remain in Britain.
After the fall of the Taliban the rules were tightened, however, and the "voluntary assisted returns" package was unveiled last August, offering single people £600 sterling and families up to £2,500 to go home by choice.
The scheme was expected to attract 1,000 applicants and the Home Office set aside £800,000 to fund it. But it emerged earlier this month that only 39 people returned to Afghanistan under the scheme.
The Home Office announced earlier this month that enforced deportations would begin shortly. A spokeswoman refused to give details of today's flight.
PA