Touching public support is encouraging former Gurkha soldiers in their campaign for rights to stay in Britain.

Madan Gurung, 57, from Maidstone, is among thousands of former Nepalese servicemen fighting to remain in the UK.

He was one of several ex-Gurkhas who demonstrated outside Parliament and handed in their medals as a protest.

Mr Gurung handed back a medal which he received for 15 years’ long service and good conduct.

The government says that any Gurkhas who retired before 1997 cannot remain here, but Mr Gurung, who retired as a lieutenant in 1993 after 24 years with the Queen’s Own Gurkha Transport Regiment, said: “We have taken an oath under the Union Jack and in front of Queen Elizabeth’s photograph.

“For 200 years, we have served this country all over the world. We have been doing Crown service.”

He is one of 2,500 former soldiers whose cases are being taken to the High Court on September 16 as a 'class action’ by a team of lawyers.

Mr Gurung applied to the government for leave to remain in September 2007, but was turned down.

He and his wife, Meena Gurung, are living in a house owned by Peter Carroll, the Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Maidstone and the Weald.

Mr Carroll has been in Staplehurst, Marden and Cranbrook asking people to sign his Gurkha Justice petition, and said: “The support was genuinely touching and heartwarming. People were able to meet several retired Gurkhas and express their support for them and their disgust at the way they are being treated.”

More information about the campaign from www.maidstonelibdems.org.uk/gurkhajustice