Instead she was being married off — having just turned FIVE.
The Islamic ceremony effectively ended her childhood and paved the way for years of abuse.
Just as shockingly, this was not happening in a remote Third World village — but in a large town in the north of England.
Samina has decided to speak out after Britain’s Forced Marriage Unit revealed that last year the 1,468 cases they investigated included another girl of five.
There are thought to be another 6,500 cases that went unreported.
Samina — not her real name as she is too scared to be identified — told The Sun: “I was denied the right of childhood, play and innocence.
“When you are married at the age of five you no longer live like a normal child. I was deprived of my basic human rights.
“I’m genuinely shocked and horrified to hear that another little girl has had to go through this. My heart goes out to that child and anyone who is forced to marry.
“That is why I am sharing my experience, to reach out to those girls and young women. There is hope and light at the end of the tunnel.”
She went on: “I know that such behaviour is contrary to the teachings of Islam and must be therefore outlawed.
“There is no Islamic justification for forced marriage and doing it to a child of that age is not just wrong — it is criminal.”
Samina, now in her early 40s, rebuilt her life to become a successful business entrepreneur.
But she is still haunted by memories of beatings, brutality and repression.
Recalling her childhood wedding day, she said: “There was a lot of activity — a lot of relatives in the house. I was dressed up in an outfit mother-in-law had bought for me.
“My sister told me later that my mother-in-law had said, ‘At last, the beautiful girl belongs to me!’
“I don’t know exactly why I was married off at such a young age, but it was all to do with maintaining traditions and making sure we didn’t question anything.”
Samina was born into a typical Asian family in a close-knit community, keeping to the ways of their remote villages of northern Pakistan.
She was not encouraged in school work and was removed at 13.
Instead she was raised to believe a woman’s place was at home and the more she suffered, the greater the reward in Paradise.
On her 14th birthday a formal wedding ceremony was held, marking the bride’s transition from her parents’ home to the home of the husband.
At six the next morning, terrified for her future, she was bundled on to a plane to Pakistan.
She was told she would return to England with her husband when she reached 16.
She used to dread evenings when she would have to tearfully face the advances of her husband.
The marriage was eventually consummated against her will after she suffered a horrific beating.
After three months it was decided she should live under lock and key back in England until she turned 16.
Forced marriage in Britain comes under civil, not criminal, law. Many victims are sent abroad.
Those at risk can apply for a court order stopping them — or the marriage organisers — from leaving the country. Anyone breaking such an order can be jailed for up to two years for contempt of court.
Victims who do return to the UK find the marriage is not legally recognised — but whoever forced them into marrying cannot be prosecuted.
The Government is currently looking at changing the law.
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