The fate of former fugitive Kerry Page will be decided by Home Secretary Jack Straw by Friday.

Kenyan authorities have now applied to the Home Office to extradite 30-year-old Miss Page, from Scholes, near Cleckheaton, to face charges of theft and handling stolen goods.

Mr Straw must decide by the end of the week whether or not the proceedings should continue.

The Kenyans were given until early March to apply for extradition after Miss Page gave herself up in December. She went to the Metropolitan Police after seven months on the run and is currently on bail in London.

A warrant for her arrest was issued by the Kenyans after she failed to turn up for her trial in Nairobi last May.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "The Home Secretary has until Friday to decide whether or not to go forward with the extradition proceedings.

"If he decides the case should go ahead, it will go before Bow Street Magistrates' Court in London at a later date.

"But the final decision will still be made by Mr Straw, even if the court decides Miss Page should be extradited."

Meanwhile, shipping manager Miss Page is due to appear before Bow Street Magistrates Court on Friday on charges of handling stolen goods.

It is alleged she helped a shipping company steal forklift trucks, containers and vehicles belonging to the United Nations after a relief mission in Somalia four years ago.

Miss Page worked for Somaust, a subsidiary of Australian company Morris Catering, which had a contract to supply food to UN aid workers.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.