A woman who fled beatings from a brutal husband in Iran has won her bid for state benefits.

Firuzhe Razavi, a British citizen, was taken to the Middle East 25 years ago as a child.

Ms Razavi, now 30 and living in Hove, suffered years of abuse from the man she married at 18.

She fled to Britain last July and applied for income support because her poor physical and mental health prevented her from working.

Although she holds a British passport, the Government originally said she failed a habitual residence test, which requires people to prove the UK will be their permanent home.

However, a social security appeals tribunal has ruled in Ms Razavi's favour and awarded her benefits to be backdated to August.

She was backed in her bid by Tony Greenstein, of the Brighton and Hove Unemployed Workers' Centre in Hollingdean, Brighton.

He and colleagues at the centre have been campaigning for the habitual residence rule to be abolished.

Mr Greenstein said: "Obviously she is delighted and very relieved. We always knew we had a strong case and this decision has proved it.

"Getting those benefits means she can at least survive now. She is in a bad way still, so she's unable to work. But this will keep her going.

"It was ludicrous that she was being told she didn't qualify for help."

Ms Razavi has been living with members of the Iranian community in Hove and is taking English language lessons.