An asylum seeker living in Bristol has had an emotional reunion with his family after winning a last-minute reprieve to stay in Britain.

Dieumerci Kasongo Kongolo was released from Oakington Detention Centre, near Cambridge, at the end of last week and returned to his home in Easton to see his delighted wife, Stella, and three daughters – Leticia, five, three-year-old Stella and Dieumerci, aged 11 months.

The Post reported earlier this month that Mr Kongolo, 42, was less than an hour away from stepping onto a plane at Heathrow Airport to take him back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo when he won a High Court injunction halting deportation proceedings.

He was taken back to the detention centre but has now been released and allowed to return to his family after his lawyer applied for a judicial review of the decision to deport him, which was granted.

Mr Kongolo is desperate not to return to the central African nation, which is the scene of a bloody civil conflict in which an estimated 5.4 million people have died in the past 11 years.

He said: "It is a relief to be back home with my family, because it seemed to me that I would be sent back to the Congo.

"I hope that I will be able to stay here, with God's help. My family are very happy to have me back."

His wife, Stella, 23, who was granted British citizenship along with their children a few weeks ago, said: "I am so happy to have him home.

"The children are over the moon – Leticia told me that she won't let him go anywhere without her from now on."

Mr Kongolo, who has been living in Britain for nine years, was arrested on March 11 and taken to Trinity Road Police Station after his application for refugee status proved unsuccessful.

On the day that he was due to be deported, an injunction application was made by a solicitor arranged by Mr Kongolo's church and the decision finally came through at 6.15pm – less than an hour before his flight was due to leave – after which a judge immediately phoned the airport.

The parishioners at St Nicholas of Tolentino Church in Easton are glad to have him back, and the family attended Mass on Sunday.

Parish priest Father Richard McKay said: "As Dieumerci walked into St Nick's this Sunday morning, together with Stella and their three children, they were welcomed with resounding applause and hoots of delight echoing around the church.

"And now the next stage of the struggle – it is expected that the Home Office will not contest the judicial review, but rather will voluntarily reconsider his case.

"Let us all pray that we are nearing the end of the terrible time for him, and this family will soon be secure in knowing their partner and father is permanently safe in this country."