Gurkha Gurkha hero Joanna Lumley visited Cranbrook on Thursday to meet the woman who sparked the idea to get the actress involved with the successful campaign to allow the Nepalese soldiers to stay in Britain.
Annie Watsham, of High Street, Cranbrook, told campaigner Peter Carroll that Miss Lumley’s father had served with the Gurkhas and she might want to help the cause to win all retired Gurkhas the right to stay in Britain.
The Kent Messenger helped Mr Carroll track down Ms Watsham and Miss Lumley met her yesterday to pay her own thanks.
The actress also met other villagers such as Cranbrook and Goudhurst postman Mike Pack, who raised £5,000 for Gurkha charities after running the London Marathon.
Earlier in the day Miss Lumley was in Folkestone to see Gurkha soldiers given the freedom of the town.