The threat of deportation hanging over the widow and children of a Gurkha soldier killed in Afghanistan was lifted by the Home Office this week.

It follows a campaign of support for the family of Colour Sgt Krishna Dura who died last month aged 36, after the vehicle he was travelling in was blown up. He was based at Shorncliffe Barracks, Folkestone.

Immediately after his death, his widow Uma, and daughters Kristina, 10, and Kebina, six, faced an uncertain future because of their status.

They 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.

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 death of her husband.

She described him as a brave and dedicated soldier whose boyhood dream had been to join the Army.

Folkestone town councillor and former Gurkha Dhan Gurung said: "I am continuing to push this campaign and I am not giving up until she and her children get residency in the UK. She needs our support."