A Ukrainian Oxford graduate fighting for the right to stay in Britain is 'overjoyed' after winning her final appeal against deportation.

Eleonora Suhoviy, 24, who works as a personal assistant at the oncology department at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, has lived in Britain for 11 years, but fell foul of the Home Office because she arrived on her mother's six-month tourist visa and was never granted leave to stay beyond that.

In December, 2005, she challenged a decision to deport her, but her appeal was rejected.

Her barrister, Jonathan Goldberg, who has taken on her case without a fee, immediately lodged a further appeal on a point of law. Yesterday, she finally won the right to call the UK her home at an asylum and immigration appeal tribunal in central London.

Miss Suhoviy said she was "very relieved" at the outcome.

She added: "I am also very grateful for all the support from everyone, from the Press and the general public.

"Before the hearing, it did cross my mind that I would have to leave Oxford, the place that I call my home.

"I am absolutely delighted that I will be able to stay here in the city with all my friends and the people who showed me such support."

Senior immigration judge Mark Ockelton, who heard the case with two other judges, said he did not find that the case was exceptional, as Miss Suhoviy's legal team had argued.

He said: "We are, however, very troubled by the entire history of this case."

He said the Home Secretary had never enforced the right to detain Miss Suhoviy, despite the order being served in 2002.

Mr Ockelton said: "Every month, instead of removing her, he said words to the effect of 'see you next month'."

He pointed out that under current legislation, the Secretary of State only had the power to deport those, such as criminals, in a case where it would be "conducive to the public good".

Figures, including Lord Carrington, Jeremy Paxman and the Bishop of Oxford, had written to the authorities in support of her case.

The Bishop, the Rt Rev Richard Harries, said it would be "a violation of commonsense and a travesty of justice" for her to be sent back. Her barrister Jonathan Goldberg said: "This is an enormous relief for her. She has really been in limbo since 1999. This really means that the immediate threat that hung over her has been removed.

"It means that she will not be thrown out we hope at all now, but she is free to apply for leave to remain and for British citizenship."

Miss Suhoviy moved to Britain from the Ukraine aged 13, when her parents divorced.

She taught herself English, largely from reading the books of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. After studying at a comprehensive school in Lincolnshire, she won a place at Oxford studying modern languages and since graduating, still teaches Ukrainian at the university.

Media coverage drew the attention of an anonymous benefactor, who pledged to pay her £10,000 international student fees.

To this day, she has no idea of her patron's identity.

She now hopes to realise her dreams of becoming a British citizen and joining the Royal Navy as an intelligence officer.