A YOUNG man who won the hearts of the people of Bolton when he was just a teenager has become a dad.

Daniel Sukula was aged just 15, when he made a heartfelt plea asking for help to stop him and his family from being deported to the Democratic Republic of Congo, a nation in the midst of a cruel civil war in which he feared he would be forced to become a child soldier.

Today, aged 22, Daniel is head of his own family.

And thanks to the efforts of the people of Bolton and a campaign by The Bolton News, Daniel now enjoys a life free from the terror of being sent back — something he lived with for many years.

Daniel lives in Bolton, with his three-and-half-monthold daughter, Destinee, and partner Shakira McLean, aged 18, from Bolton.

He is a student at the University of Bolton, working towards a degree in computer technology.

Daniel will graduate next year and supports his family by working at Sports Direct.

He said: “Life has been great since we were granted indefinite leave to remain.

“Now I can fulfil my future.

Before, there was a barrier that would not let us go forward, but now we have a chance at everything.

“We are all happy and grateful for all the support that everyone showed us, especially The Bolton News for supporting us from the start.

“The campaign was really important to all our us because without it, we would probably have been deported back to the Congo, our lives would have been in danger, and we would have been living in fear.

“My sister, Flores, is also doing well and is at Salford University.”

Daniel wants to set up his own business, a future he says he could not have dreamt of had it not been for those who campaigned for the family to stay.