Theoretically the Home Office can grant leave on discretionary grounds between the 10 and 14 year period.
But if you weren't an asylum seeker, an asylum seeking minor, in a relationship with or married to a British citizen, then you must have also had extremely strong grounds under some part of the Human Rights Act (Article 8 seems most feasible).
If none of the above applies, then all I can say is either you were very very very lucky indeed, or the we're-not-having-an-amnesty-but-let's-reduce-that-backlog-by-all-costs thing has started.
I've not come across this before either.
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
Is there something you've missed out in your account?
Otherwise best sit tight until 2011. This is definitely not the time to be experimenting with your DL.