AN asylum seeker is asking Teessiders to support his bid to stay in Britain because he fears being killed if he is sent back to Iran.

Ashkan Goudarzi, 30, has been living in Middlesbrough since being smuggled into the UK in the back of a lorry last October.

He was forced to leave Iran because his family were members UFIN (United Front of Iranian Nationalists).

Mr Goudarzi said he was arrested and beaten for two days but managed to escape and flee, leaving his wife and four-year-old son in Iran.

Already a target of vicious brutality for his political beliefs but he knows his conversion to Christianity and baptism have effectively signed his own death warrant.

However, his appeal against a rejected application for asylum has failed and he is being asked to leave the accommodation provided for him as an asylum seeker.

"I just want to live in peace with my family as a human being," said Mr Goudarzi.

"At the minute I am afraid for my life, afraid for my wife and son, and I do not know what is going to happen."

He is asking the Government to consider his application again because he is convinced he has documents to prove he will be in political danger if deported to Iran.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "Once an application has failed and there is no appeal in progress, you are liable for removal.

"However, the Home Office does not return an individual to a country where there is likely to be a serious breach of their human rights."

To find out ways to support Mr Goudarzi call the national Coalition of Anti Deportation Campaigns on (01642) 679298.