HAMPSHIRE heroes with hearts of gold have been shortlisted by judges and now one will win a trip on a luxury yacht to be treated like a millionaire.

The three Daily Echo finalists are couple Major Ruth Hill and her husband Major Alan, from Shirley, Southampton, special needs teacher Gill Young, from Houghton, near Stockbridge, and Ali Noyce, from Weston, Southampton, who have worked tirelessly to help the community.

Now it is up to you to cast your votes for Cruise the Coast 2010. Mr and Mrs Hill, from the Salvation Army, were nominated for their dedication in helping residents of Shirley Towers following the blaze on April 6, which killed two firefighters, and many people found themselves homeless.

The couple, of Harland Crescent, opened up the Salvation Army hall from the first night, made sleeping arrangements and fed and watered the evacuated residents.

They even kept the hall open in the following days and put on activities for the children.

Since the tragedy the pair have been helping to clean the flats and replace furniture and have bought the community together by creating a Shirley Towers social group every Wednesday. Gill Young, who teaches teenagers with complex learning disabilities at Osborne School, in Winchester, is nominated for delivering the best for the young people. She also runs a week’s residential camping for the youngsters in the New Forest.

Nominated by mother of 20-year-old Adam who has complex disabilities Joanna Crook spoke out on behalf of all the parents and described Gill as exceptional. She said: “Gill at all times acts as a determined, compassionate and dedicated advocate for her students and their families. Gill never stops.”

Ali Noyce, 49, has been nominated for cramming her day full of activities to help other people in the community by going the extra mile.

Ali, a senior bank manager, lost her high-powered job with a bank but was given a job with underachieving branches and in nine months, she has shown that her staff were capable of bettering themselves.

Ali has also been an assistant Guider at a Brownie pack for 25 years and she takes pride in teaching young girls life skills and make each one achieve the impossible. She has also helped run a swimming club since 1978.

Jean Rumbold, of St Denys, who nominated her, said: “She has the biggest open heart to all she meets and never sees anything bad in anyone.”

The winner will be whisked off on an all-expenses paid luxury cruise on the motor yacht Salu along the Cote D’Azur in France, dropping anchor at the playgrounds of the rich and famous.

The Daily Echo winner will set sail on June 3 and return on June 8.

Send your vote by post at ‘Cruise the Coast 2010, Freepost, The Coast’, by telephoning 0845 6539 106 (calls will cost BT local rate from BT local landlines) or log onto the website www.thecoast106.com.