EVERYONE agrees there must be rules that govern immigration to this country. However, those rules should be applied with senstivity and common sense, taking into account the contribution individual people have made to the UK.
If only Home Office officials had used such common sense in the case of former Worcestershire cricketer Hartley Alleyne, who is threatened with deportation to his native Barbados on a technicality.
During the 29 years Mr Alleyne has lived in Britain, he has done more for this country, and this county, than most people who were born here.
Worcestershire people still remember the hat-trick of wickets he bagged against Middlesex at Lords back in 1981.
Now Mr Alleyne is giving something back to the sport that made him a star by sharing his skills with youngsters as a school coach.
Unfortunately, officials don't consider him qualified for the job - because he doesn't have an NVQ.
It's time the Government's army of jobsworths left Mr Alleyne alone and concentrated on removing the people who really don't deserve to be here.
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