Campaigners have failed in a last-minute bid to save an asylum-seeking Russian family from deportation.

Six immigration officers snatched the family of three from their Bradford Moor home without warning early on Tuesday morning and took them to a detention centre at Gatwick Airport.

They were allowed one call and used it to alert Bradford Immigration & Asylum Support & Advice Network (BIASAN).

The Network raced against time to block the family's deportation by calling for a High Court judicial review.

With only hours to go before the Kustov family were forcibly put on a plane, the group's barrister sought an injunction to stop it - but this was rejected by a High Court judge.

The legal bid failed after a 15-minute hearing at 7.30pm last night and by 10.30pm mother, father and son were being put on a flight from Heathrow to Tel Aviv in Israel - the country they fled three years ago. Supporters have branded immigration officials' actions 'inhumane and ludicrous'.

Russian neurologist Victor Kustov, his Jewish wife Biana and their teenage son Vadim came to Britain in 2000 as holidaymakers seeking asylum.

The couple, in their mid-40s, claimed persecution after their mixed marriage drove them out of Russia and Israel where they had hoped to start a new life - which lasted just 16-months before they came to Britain.

Supporters from BIASAN say being sent back to Israel could have devastating consequences for the family - especially 17-year-old Vadim.

Campaigners say immigration officials have not properly considered psychological reports on Vadim who was severely traumatised by what happened in Israel. Psychologists who have examined him are worried the forced return would cause him untold damage and in a report strongly recommended the family be granted asylum on humanitarian grounds.

Since the Kustovs arrived in Bradford, they have been active citizens and made many friends. Mr Kustov helped out with terminally-ill patients at the Marie Curie Hospice and taught Russian voluntarily at Bradford University. Biana, an electrical engineer, was keen to get work.

BIASAN'S Deb Collett said: "This family have the skills we are apparently so desperately short of in this country. Yet they were persecuted and locked up in flagrant disregard of their human rights. They were terrified of being sent back to a dangerous and unbearable situation."

Campaigners are also angry Immigration officials twice refused to meet the Kustovs' MP, Terry Rooney.

The MP said: "I've been told twice now by Immigration that there's no point in them meeting me because everything about the case has been looked at - I've been trying since February last year. I feel the Kustovs have a genuine case to stay. They are a highly-qualified couple and would be a wonderful asset to this country. With what's going on in Israel at the moment, I wouldn't want to deport anyone there."

A spokesman for the Home Office said it could not comment on individual cases.

Solicitor Barry Clarke, pictured, a BIASAN member who helped the Kustovs fight their case, said: "Our group fought very hard to try and keep them here. It's very disappointing that this hasn't made a difference.

"I have spoken to the family and they are very depressed. The roots they put down in Bradford have just been ripped up. The way they were removed was frankly brutal. I'm angry we treat people like this."

The judicial review will still be heard even though the family have been deported. Mr Clarke said if the review is successful the family could be brought back but he fears it is highly unlikely.