A female inmate who alleged she was raped by prison officers is being sent back to Britain.

The 19-year-old will be flown back to England this week, escorted by female Prison officers, to finish the remainder of her sentence.

A Prison Service official said there would be no early release and she would be transferred to Hollaway prison in London.

But her family and Bermuda lawyer have said they intend to fight for her early release, because of the alleged incident and treatment she received at the hands of officers.

The details of the move are being organised by Deputy Governor Tim Gurney, who said she would be flown out later this week. He said she is eligible for parole in February.

The woman, who was handed a six-year sentence in 1997 for smuggling $66,000 of heroin into Bermuda, claimed she was raped by two officers at the Co-ed facility after becoming intoxicated.

Following her allegations, two Prison Officers were arrested and questioned by Police.

A Police spokesman said the investigation was ongoing and the Prison officers had now been freed on Police bail, pending further inquiries.

Last night her mother, speaking from London, said they were delighted with the news but were still determined to campaign for her release in the UK.

She said she had spoken to her daughter, who was a lot happier now she was due to come home.

"We are very, very happy,'' the mother said. "We just want her back on British soil. We are still going to try to get her set free from this end.'' She added that they still wanted to see a full investigation into the alleged incident.

They would not let the matter rest until there was some justice, she added.

The teenager's lawyer, Mark Pettingill, said he had been informed that she was leaving, but added he had not been told what the status of her petition for early remission of her sentence was.

"I am hopeful that in the light of this, that at least the facts are being accepted and hope that the authorities look at the remainder of her sentence because she has been subjected to cruel treatment in prison,'' he said.

Deputy Governor Tim Gurney said the petition had been received and was being considered.

Governor Thorold Masefield is currently off the Island.

Foreign Office officials had also been briefed on the situation and the family's MP -- Health Minister Frank Dobson -- is also understood to have been made aware of the incident.