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'Warmest' welcome to new Brits at St George's Day citizenship ceremony
ST George's Day had extra meaning for 20 people given British citizenship in a ceremony at Halifax Town Hall.
Among them was Alonso Blanco-Velo from Lima in Peru, who came to Britain to study at Salford University and stayed when he fell in love.
He and his wife Joanna, from Brighouse, married two years ago and now live in Rastrick.
"Calderdale is very different from Peru. It doesn't rain there but the sky is always grey," he said.
"The people here are very friendly. I like the postal system, how polite people are on motorways and the trains."
Sushrut Bastola was born in Nepal but came to England with his family when he was two.
Now 18, the student at Crossley Heath School, Halifax, said he hoped becoming an official citizen would make it easier for him to travel.
"My dad is a doctor and came over here to work and sent money back to our family in Nepal.
"I still have relatives there and visit every few years. Most have moved to other parts of the world, like Australia."
Also gaining citizenship was 64-year-old Halifax resident Rafzia Bibi, originally from Bangladesh.
She has been living in this country for 21 years. Her son Nazir Ali said: "We encouraged her to do it. It will be a lot easier for her to travel now."
The ceremony saw people swearing an oath or making an affirmation of allegiance to the Queen and pledging loyalty to the United Kingdom.
The Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Dr Ingrid Roscoe, told them: "I go to Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield. But in Calderdale, people give the warmest welcome."
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Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
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