Soldier widow wins pension fight

A woman whose soldier husband died in a road accident on his way to an emergency at work has won her campaign to receive a war widow's pension.

Tina Thompson's husband Sgt Mick Thompson died in the 2005 Cyprus crash.

Her husband was in the army for 17 years but Mrs Thompson, of Stourbridge, West Midlands, was denied the pension as he was not on duty when he died.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has now said Mrs Thompson will be awarded a full and backdated payment.

She had been due to contest the original decision, backed by the Royal British Legion (RBL), at the Court of Appeal in November.

However, the MoD said on Wednesday that it would not be contesting the case following a "review".

"It has taken a huge weight off of my shoulders and will make a big difference to me and my family"
Tina Thompson

Mrs Thompson featured in a poster for the RBL's Poppy Campaign along with the couple's three-year-old son Aidan last year.

Mrs Thompson said she was "so happy" with the decision.

She said: "It has taken a huge weight off of my shoulders and will make a big difference to me and my family.

"I think it just goes to show that it is worth persevering and hope that other people in my position will take strength from this."

'Fantastic news'

Under the new settlement, Aidan will receive a child's payment and his older brother Lewis, 16, will also be awarded under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

Sgt Thompson, who was 38 when he died, served in the army from 1980 and over that time had been in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Iraq.

An MoD spokesman said: "The Ministry of Defence is pleased to confirm that a compensation award will be made to the dependants of Sgt Thompson following a review of this case.

"We regret the time it has taken to provide Mrs Thompson with a conclusion to this matter."

The poster Mrs Thompson featured in showed her swinging Aidan on the beach with the help of a figure made out of poppies.

James Bond, the RBL's pensions and benefits service manager, said it was "fantastic news" for the family.

A spokeswoman for the RBL said the final figures for the payment were still being finalised.

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