THE family of a five-year-old girl killed in a car accident have won a battle with the Government to get their family visas to attend her funeral.

Andrea Gada died after being hit by a car in Eastbourne in December and since then her funeral has been postponed due to uncertainty over whether her Zimbabwean relatives would be granted entry to the country.

This evening the Home Office announced they had granted Andrea's maternal grandparents, retired street trader Stanley Bwanya, 65, and Grace, 57, and aunt, Monalisa Faith, 21, the visas they needed.

The decision comes after a petition signed by more than 120,000 and a personal later from Prime Minister David Cameron who said he knew “the struggle of losing a child first-hand”. 

Andrea's father Wellington, 38, said: “It is just such a relief. It has been a long fight and we are happy we can give our daughter a proper burial and we will be able to fulfil everything we have wished for her.

“We are still in shock but this is definitely going to give us some closure.”

Throughout the campaign supporters in Eastbourne raised money for the relatives to attend, and the family even offered to wear electronic tags and report to a police station.

Eastbourne's Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Lloyd said he would act as a guarantor to ensure that the relatives returned to Zimbabwe after the funeral.

James Brokenshire, immigration and security Minister, said: “The decision to grant or refuse a visa to the UK is often a difficult one. Immigration officers have to weigh often compelling situations against the fundamental requirement to protect the British border and the integrity of the immigration system.

“The UK visa system has rules which allow for a decision to be made on compassionate grounds. Andrea Gada's family have provided new information and assurances in fresh visa applications to enable them to attend her funeral in Eastbourne.

"In the light of these details and given the tragic circumstances, these have now been granted. My thoughts are with the family at this extremely difficult time.”