Visa given to Syrian family of fire victim

THE family of Grenfell Tower victim Mohammad Alhajali are allowed to come to the UK following a public outcry. The 23-year-old Syrian refugee was the first fatality of the disaster to be formally identified by police. More than 85,000 people have signed a petition calling for his parents to be granted visas for the UK so they can attend his funeral. A spokesman for the Home Office said: “We made contact with Mr Alhajali’s family and assisted them in making arrangements for their travel to the UK in these terribly sad circumstances.” The petition was set up by family friend Mirna Suleiman, 26, who had been frantically hunting for him. His family said: “Mohammad was an amazing and kind person. He came to the UK because he had ambitions for his life and for his family.” Mr Alhajali’s older brother Omar, who was with him in the flat, survived the fire after they were separated on the way out. The Home Office has processes that allow it to consider, on compassionate grounds, visa applications outside immigration rules.