A couple have adopted their two foster daughters two years after they sparked an international search when they ran off and went into hiding, refusing to return the two girls to care.

Mrs Justice Hogg yesterday made an adoption order making half-sisters Jade and Hannah Bennett the legal daughters of Jeffrey and Jennifer Bramley.

The couple fled to Ireland in 1998 for 17 weeks after Cambridgeshire social services decided to move the children to another placement after ruling that the Bramleys were unfit to adopt the two girls, who had been placed with them as foster children.

When they returned from the Irish Republic, postal worker Jeff Bramley, 36 and his 37-year-old wife were due to face abduction charges.

But the charges were dropped after the couple formally accepted their guilt and agreed to be cautioned.

Mrs Justice Hogg ruled that Jade and Hannah should remain in the care of the Bramleys for a trial period. This ruling was to have come up for review next spring.

But the judge declared that, with agreement from the children's mother, the local authority and the Official Solicitor, she was ready to make final orders for the future, saying it was "the best possible foundation for the children's future happiness".

She said: "I therefore make adoption orders so that these children are now full and permanent members of the family in which they have lived for nearly three years."

Mrs Justice Hogg said she was delighted to meet Jade and Hannah with their adoptive parents. "I wish the children and their family much happiness in their future together," she added.

"Whatever the past doubts about their placement with the Bramleys, Jade and Hannah have made very good progress.

"Mr and Mrs Bramley are to be congratulated for the way in which they have provided the girls with a loving, secure home life.

"I am also satisfied that with the support of social services Mr and Mrs Bramley have seriously addressed concerns which I dealt with in my earlier judgement."

The judge said at the time she made her interim order in June last year that social workers had acted with "professionalism and commitment" and with the girls' best interests in mind when they decided that the Bramleys were not suitable adoptive parents.

It had emerged after the couple went on the run that Mr Bramley had been a member of Private Encounters, a sexual contacts agency, while Mrs Bramley had an affair.

Social workers also learned that Mrs Bramley miscarried twins just a month before the couple applied to adopt.

Injunctions remain in force to prohibit the Bramleys, or the children's birth mother or Jade's birth father, from commenting about yesterday's ruling.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire social services said: "All parties involved in this matter are happy that it has now been brought to a successful conclusion and wish the family well for their future together."