SHE'S back! After her successful three-month fight to stay in the UK, Filipino nurse Corazon Caro is back at work at Southampton General Hospital.

The delighted nurse only received her new visa, work permit and passport yesterday but when she phoned A&E bosses to find out when she could start, she was asked if she was free for a 1pm shift the same day.

As she walked through the doors to begin her shift Corazon, 29, who is known as Colou to friends said: "It's so good to be back!"

Her colleagues welcomed her with open arms, saying they were delighted to see her.

Colleague Lauren Wright said: "We have really missed our Colou."

Corazon's troubles began when she accidentally allowed her visa and work permit to expire by five months.

Home Office officials ordered her out of the country and refused her an appeal against their ruling.

Her story touched the hearts of many Daily Echo readers, one of whom, Second World War veteran George Carpenter, even offered to marry her so she could stay.

However continued pressure from the Daily Echo, Southampton MPs Alan Whitehead and John Denham, union chiefs and hospital colleagues led to ministers performing a dramatic U-turn.

The thrilled nurse was told just last week that she could stay in the country and the Home Office asked for her passport to stamp her back in.

Yesterday she received her now legal passport, visa and work permit through the post and was back at work within hours.

"I phoned my manager and she asked me to come in at 1pm," Corazon said. "I was so excited. It's so nice to be back after all that struggle. I have missed work so much."

She added she was pleased to be earning money again as her family in the Philippines rely on her to send back money to pay bills.

A hospital spokesman said: "Corazon is a popular and highly-valued member of the team and we were very much looking forward to welcoming her back."