Two teenage asylum seekers described as a "credit" to Scotland by the First Minister are celebrating after being granted leave to remain in the UK for three years.

Brothers Somer Umeed Bakhsh, 16, and 14-year-old Areeb have spent most of their lives living in fear that they could be forced out of their home in Glasgow and deported to Pakistan where they would be at risk of danger.

However, they have only been granted "limited leave to remain" in the UK until February 2022.

It is hoped the Home Office decision, which also applies to their parents, Maqsood and Parveen, signals the beginning of the end of a seven-and-a-half year struggle for the Christian family.

It is the result of a high profile Church of Scotland campaign, which led to more than 94,000 people signing two online petitions which urged the UK Government not to deport the brothers to their birth country.

The family fled to Glasgow in 2012 from Faisalabad after Mr Umeed Bakhsh was subjected to death threats from Islamic extremists due to his Christian faith.

They were repeatedly denied asylum and the parents were prevented from earning a living, despite the fact that he is a trained data analyst and she is a midwife and nurse.

The family's case was raised with former Prime Minister Theresa May in the House of Commons by Paul Sweeney, MP for Glasgow North East, and in the Scottish Parliament by Bob Doris, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the brothers as a "credit" to Scotland and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urged the Home Office to grant the family leave to remain.

Somer, who got four As and a B in his Highers and aspires to be an astrophysicist, said: "We have gone through a tough time and I am really happy that we now have the freedom to stay in the country we love.

"I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders because the threat of deportation was always in the back of my mind.

"Scotland is my home, I have grown up here, all my friends are here and I feel like a Scottish boy.

"I am very thankful to everyone who has supported my family and the people who signed the petitions - we could not have got to this point without you.

"But I am disappointed that we will have to apply to the Home Office for an extension in just two and a half years."

The process to secure permanent leave to remain will likely cost the family tens of thousands of pounds.

Somer, who is now in sixth year at Springburn Academy and studying three Advanced Highers, said he was hopeful that he will be accepted to the University of Glasgow next year.

Areeb, who is in fourth year at the same school and studying seven National 5s exams, said he was "overwhelmed" by the news.

"It has been very stressful but Glasgow is such a lovely place, everyone is so welcoming and my friends at school have always been there for me," he added.

"They will be really happy to hear the news and I am looking forward to a degree of normality and hopefully life will be easier because we have been opened up to many more opportunities."

Mr and Mrs Umeed Bakhsh will soon be granted work permits and have the opportunity to drive and take their sons on holidays abroad.