THE Gurkha who saved the life of Joanna Lumley's father during the Second World War has died.

Tul Bahadur Pun – an icon of the Ab Fab star's bid for Nepalese vets to be allowed to settle in the UK – saved James Lumley and dozens of others by attacking a Japanese gun position in Burma in 1944. He was later awarded the Victoria Cross.

Pun, officially 88 but possibly older, died at home in Nepal. Ms Lumley said: "Trumpets are sounding in heaven for VC Pun."