THE people charged with policing the UK’s borders deserve our support and admiration.

It cannot be an easy job to judge who should or should not be allowed into this country.

The rules are fiendishly complicated – but they need to be applied with a touch of humanity.

As we report on pages 1, 4 and 5 today, Southampton man Musa Gibba is desperately hoping officials will reconsider their decision to ban his brother from this country.

Musa has a more pressing reason than most to want to see brother Malick soon. For Malick has agreed to donate a kidney to Musa that will save his life.

For medical reasons Malick needs to stay here for six months but that is a stumbling block for the authorities.

Rules are important but they are often imperfect and there is a tendency for individual cases to arise which do not fit the regulations. This appears to be one of the occasions.

Time is running out for Musa. Let us hope that those dealing with the appeal use compassion as well as the rules to reach their decision.