I tried to say no. I was in shock, horror and disbelief and didn't know what was happening

Aneela

The court heard one of her brothers Hardev Singh kicked her to the floor and stamped on her face.

The attack was witnessed by traffic warden Joanne Price who called the police.

Hardev Singh was jailed at Leicester Crown Court for 30 months for false imprisonment and assault, his brothers Amir and Rajinder Singh both received 18 months and their parents Jagdish Singh and Satwant Kaur received 18 months and 9 months respectively.

Another victim is Aneela, a Lancashire woman whose name has been changed to protect her identity, who was 15 years old when her father took her to Pakistan, claiming to be heading off on a short holiday.

She said: "A family member said to me, 'You can't go to sleep. You're getting married now.'

"I just looked at her in disbelief.

Education needed

"Then the Mullanah (priest) came in and I had to sign what I obviously know now were the marriage papers.

"I tried to say no. I was in shock, horror and disbelief and didn't know what was happening.

"My sister ran away screaming, 'You're married now'".

Lancashire Police say they deal with at least one case every day in towns like Accrington and Blackburn,

This compares to one complaint a month three years ago.

The force's Asian link worker Monawer Shah said parents and children need educating.

She said: "Some young girls are too afraid to even ask who they're marrying.

"We're not talking about Islam. It's not a religious practice. It's culture.

"When girls come to me as a last resort they are very depressed and I have to send them to a counsellor."

Law changes

Some calls have been made for legislation to outlaw forced marriages - but Lancashire Police Sergeant John Rigby feels that this will not necessarily work.

He said: "The young women inevitably find it very difficult to give evidence against their family.

"Very few of them go to court so there are few prosecutions."

But Aneela says she is now aware of organisations who can help a woman faced with the possibility of being forced into marriage.