A frail widow will not be deported back to South Africa after 150,000 people backed a petition for her to stay with her daughter who cares for her in Dorset.

Myrtle Cothill had been ordered to fly home by the Home Office, but the government has now allowed her to stay on limited leave due to 'compassionate and exceptional circumstances'.

The 92-year-old has been cared for by her daughter Mary Wills in Poole since coming to the UK in 2014 on a tourist visa, selling her house back in South Africa but failing to apply for UK residency.

Myrtle Cothill, right, as been cared for by her daughter Mary Wills, left, in Poole since coming to the UK in 2014 on a tourist visa

She had been ordered to fly to Johannesburg on February 23 following a immigration tribunal, but the proceedings were halted pending a medical report as Mrs Cothill suffers from several ailments.

As well as being unable to walk unaided, the widow has heart problems and is losing her eyesight, leading to her being cared for by her daughter.

The report said there was a 'considerable risk of mortality' within three months should Mrs Cothill go back to South Africa.

Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said Mrs Cothill's family had provided further evidence about her health and fitness to travel since the hearing.

He told the BBC: 'I asked that this evidence be carefully considered as a fresh application under the rules.

'In the light of this assessment, I have decided that Mrs Cothill should be granted limited leave to remain in the UK with her family given the compassionate and exceptional circumstances of this case.'

As part of the ruling, Mrs Cothill will have no recourse to public funds, including the NHS.

Mrs Cothill said: 'I feel like a weight has been lifted off me, I want to thank everyone who has supported me. Last month has been really horrendous.'