A petition calling for justice for retired Gurkha soldiers has been handed in to Number 10 Downing Street by Weald residents.

The signatures were collected across Cranbrook, Staplehurst and Marden by local Lib Dem campaigner Peter Carroll and demand that all retired Gurkha soldiers have the right to live in the UK. Currently, only Gurkhas who retired after 1997 have that right.

Peter Carroll said: "I met with a number of retired Gurkhas outside the gates of Downing Street and handed them over 800 signatures gathered in my recent visits to Cranbrook, Staplehurst and Marden.

"They added these to the 45,000 signatures gathered from across the country."

The Gurkhas have now started a landmark legal action in the High Court which challenges the legality of the 1997 cut off date.

Mr Carroll joined hundreds of retired Gurkhas and their supporters, including former Gurkha Madam Gurung from Maidstone, and lead by actress Joanna Lumley in major protest outside the court.

He added: "The support for the Gurkhas in the villages was enormously strong and very touching.

In a campaign such as this every added voice of support is valuable and I am pleased that we have managed to handed in the petition in advance of the Court case."

A judgment is expected by the end of September.