Funds raised for fire protest man

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A fundraising campaign to fly the body of an asylum seeker back to his family in Nepal has reached its target days after being launched.

Uddhav Bhandari, a Nepalese national, doused himself in petrol and set himself on fire at an immigration centre in Glasgow earlier this month.

The 40-year-old was waiting for an asylum hearing at the time.

Mr Bhandari, who had been living in Edinburgh, suffered serious burns and died in Glasgow's Royal Infirmary.

Asylum campaign group Positive Action In Housing (PAIH) appealed for £4,000 on Wednesday to cover flight and funeral costs, saying his family was destitute.

PAIH director Robina Qureshi said the target was achieved by Friday.

She said: "This means that Uddhav Bhandari's body can be sent back to Nepal as early as next week.

"We are very grateful to everyone who donated so generously to this appeal."

Father-of-two Bhandari fled Nepal six years ago but was facing a second immigration hearing which could have seen him sent back to the troubled country.