A top session musician who previously worked with David Bowie and Pink Floyd has been allowed to stay in Britain after a bid to deport him was rejected on Tuesday (13Jan15).

Steve Forman, 68, faced being sent back to America after Home Office bosses argued he didn't earn enough money from his job as a lecturer in Scotland to remain in the U.K.

Pink Floyd's David Gilmour was among the long list of friends and colleagues who vouched for percussionist Forman and wrote letters in his defence, and a judge has now rejected the deportation bid, ruling he had an "exceptionally strong and compelling" case.

Forman says, "The Home Office can still appeal the decision, they still have two weeks to appeal, (but) I'm giddy and excited. I guess, unless I get a call in the next two weeks, I can get a visa and we can have one hell of a party. It's pretty cool."