A COMMUNITY which put its weight behind a campaign to keep Macedonian immigrant Iko Vukov in this country six years ago was in shock this week as it tried to come to terms with his death and the serious injuries to his sister.

Town leaders and residents of Okehampton described the stabbing incident as an ?absolute tragedy.?

Iko was a well known figure in Okehampton and for many years he worked at Cellars Bistro, owned by his sister Vanga Pollack, who has lived in the town for 20 years.

He came to this country in 1992 after fleeing his homeland which was gripped by war. Iko?s case to stay in the UK was taken up by West Devon MP John Burnett and backed by the people of Okehampton, who wrote over 100 letters and a petition in support.

Home Office permission was finally granted to Iko and his family for British citizenship in 1997.

Iko and Suzana Vukov were well accepted in the community and their sons Kosta, 24 and Vlatko, 19 both played rugby at Okehampton Rugby Club.

Okehampton businessman Donald Rooke, who wrote a letter in support of Iko at the time, said he was deeply shocked and surprised by what had happened on Sunday night as he knew both Vanga and Iko very well.

?It is a tragedy and I feel very sorry about what has happened,? he said.

?Iko was a very strong character who had a good rapport with the customers and Vanga is a fantastic personality who always has a smile.

?We just hope she can get through this and the community will be there to

l continued on page 3 l continued from page 1 help her.?

Chairman of the chamber of trade Ian Bailey said Iko was large in stature but he was quietly spoken and ?quite the gentleman.?

He worked as a chef at Cellars which was a well established business in Okehampton for more than ten years but had not been seen at the bistro for quite some time.

Mayor of Okehampton Christine Marsh said it was very hard to know what went on behind closed doors but an incident like this was totally unexpected.

?It is desperately tragic that it should come to this,? she said. ?Vanga supported her brother through his fight to stay here and after all they went through, this is terribly sad.?

Friend of the family Gary Carey, 25, said he was devastated by the tragedy and had lost a good friend.

?Both myself and my family are devastated,? he said. ?I have been friends with Iko?s eldest son Kosta since they came to England and Iko was a lovely, respectable man.

?He was a very caring person who would always be there for you if you had a problem and he will be very sadly missed by everyone.?

West Devon MP John Burnett got to know the family well through his involvement in a long-running struggle to secure Mr Vukov?s right to remain in this country after immigration authorities threatened to send him back to Macedonia.

Mr Burnett said: ?This came as a complete shock to me, as it will to everybody else in the town who knew them. This is a terrible tragedy and everybody will be hoping that Vanga recovers and can rebuild her life.

?Our sympathies and condolences go out to the whole family, particularly to Iko?s wife Suzana and his two sons Kosta and Vlatko?

The Maceadonian was finally granted a licence of leave by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on the grounds that he had made a new life for himself and his family in Okehampton.

?He came here because as a Macedonian he was in danger, given the violence and the possibility of discrimination and torture he faced in his homeland,? Mr Burnett said.

Mr Burnett said Iko had always supported himself since coming to Britain, and had never claimed benefits.

He said he had always been keen to make a contribution to the life of the town and worked hard to make a future for his family in Okehampton.