NAZANIN ZAGHARI-RATCLIFFE was adopted by the Haslemere Amnesty Group as its special prisoner of conscience shortly after her arrest in 2016.

The group began scouring papers and the internet for news and taking every action it could to publicise the injustice.

Each week it wrote to the Iranian government asking them to review her case and to demand her conditions in the infamous Evin prison were improved.

The group also sent a card to Nazanin every week to let her know she was not forgotten and encouraging her to stay strong.

Maggie Monteath, of the group, said: “We have no idea if she ever received these cards but at least the Iranian authorities knew people in the UK cared about her.

“Our hopes for her release were frequently raised, then dashed. Then, like the rest of the nation, we were thrilled to learn her passports had been returned.

“We could hardly believe this was followed so quickly by the news she was at Tehran airport and held our breath until we knew she was on her way home.”

In celebration, the Haslemere Amnesty Group’s tree in Town Meadow, dedicated to all prisoners of conscience, now boasts her picture along with a flurry of yellow ribbons.

Maggie continued: “We are also making plans for a celebration picnic so all the Amnesty supporters who have worked so hard and waited so long for Nazanin’s release can celebrate together.”