A woman whose 19-year-old husband was killed during the Korean war has been offered an all-expenses paid trip to visit his grave by the Korean government.

Ronald Sugden, a private with the Royal Leicester Regiment, died just days before his first son was born in 1951.

Mary Birkett, of Scholemoor Avenue, Lidget Green, has been to South Korea twice before to visit his grave in the United Nations Cemetery at Pusan.

Now she is set for a third trip to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the war.

Mrs Birkett said the offer of the trip came out of the blue.

"This lady rang and said I was going to be a bit shocked because she was ringing from the Korean embassy," she said.

"She said I was one of ten families being invited by the Korean government to go and visit the cemetery.

"I had wanted to go again before I was too old."

Mrs Birkett said the previous trips had been very emotional, with a visit to the battle site where her husband was killed.

"Standing there looking out we were just on the spot where it all happened," she said.

"You could see a bridge in the distance and it was called the Bridge of No Return."

Private Sugden was awarded the Korean Medal, the United Nations Peace Medal. Mrs Birkett was invited to the Queen's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in July.

"Seeing the Queen and talking to all those people was really lovely," she said.

"My eldest daughter lives in Texas and said she had told everyone there about my visit and said I must send her photos!"