The widow and children of a Gurkha soldier killed in Afghanistan will be allowed to stay in their Canterbury home.

The threat of deportation hanging over Uma Dura and daughters Kristina, 10, and Kebina, six, of Sobraon Way, Howe Barracks, has been lifted by the Home Office.

It follows a campaign of support for the family of Col Sgt Krishna Dura, who died last month aged 36, after the vehicle he was travelling in was blown up.

His family were told by the Home Office that they had no automatic right to stay in the UK and could be sent back to Nepal.

But a campaign was quickly mounted to fight any threat of deportation, led by city councillor Brian Staley and backed by Canterbury MP Julian Brazier.

The city council also agreed to write to the Home Office in support of the family who have lived in the UK for eight years and whose children attend Kingsmead Primary School.

Now the Home Office says they can stay until 2012 and it will consider their case for permanent residency.

Mrs Dura has just returned from Nepal where more than 2,000 people attended the funeral of Krishna, who served with the 2nd Batallion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, in his home village in the Dashain Tihar district.

She says she is now deeply relieved they can stay for another four years and an application for them to stay permanently has been submitted to the Home Office.

Mrs Dura thanked all those who have supported the family since the tragic death of her husband.

She said: “It is a great relief to know we can stay because our children have really only known England as their home and love their school.

“The children know their father was a soldier who died fighting in a war but they are a bit young to understand everything.

“But I will keep a special collection of his medals and army photos so they can appreciate them when they are older.”

Cllr Staley said: “It is great news for the family, but we must keep up the pressure on the Government.

“A lot can happen in four years and we have to make sure Uma and her children are not put in the same position.”