An Army wife is facing a desperate Christmas worrying if she will soon be homeless and split up from her children.

Geraldine Thomas and her husband Keith split up in September after he had officially left his regiment at Colchester Garrison six months previously.

Mrs Thomas, 33, who currently still lives on Colchester's Army estate at Oakapple Close, was born in the Philippines and knows she could now face being thrown out of the country.

The couple's two children Kierron, 18 months and Kimberley, 2-and-a-half, were born in Colchester so are British nationals.

But she cannot get help from the borough council to find another house because her visa to stay in the country has expired.

And because she is illegally here she cannot claim benefits apart from child benefit.

Colchester MP Bob Russell said: "What's unusual about this is we have children born in Colchester who are British nationals. She wants to stay here. She has friends here."

Mr Russell has written to the Government immigration and nationality department asking them to give her an indefinite visa to stay in Britain.

"The Army has no legal responsibility for Geraldine but I have written to them to see if they can support her at Christmas and over the New Year to try and embrace her through their family support and welfare system.

"If it wasn't for the generosity of neighbours and friends from other Army families she and her family would be totally destitute."

A Garrison spokesman said: "Because he left the Army in April they are no longer entitled to quarters because he is no longer a serving soldier."

"We have now had to issue legal proceedings to get possession and want to get the house back. Because it is being illegally occupied at the moment."

Geraldine Thomas with her young family

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