A PAIR of battled-hardened campaigners fighting to revive an axed respite centre have announced they will stand in May’s Southampton City Council elections.

Kentish Road campaigner Lisa Stead will take on council boss Simon Letts in a “David and Goliath” style battle for his Bitterne seat.

Meanwhile, fellow activist Amanda Guest will challenge Labour councillor Hannah Coombes in Shirley.

The pair will stand as independent candidates, under the banner of Putting People First – who have three city councillors in Coxford.

The duo have promised to fight for the rights of the city’s most hard-up residents.

They’ve also vowed to continue their campaign to save axed Kentish Road respite centre, which the Labour-run council closed last year.

Mrs Stead, whose son Harrison used the centre, said: “I’m very happy to be running against Simon Letts.

“It will be a bit like David and Goliath.

"But I’m happy to challenge anyone who I feel is failing in their duty to provide vital services.”

Mrs Guest added: “We believe in protecting vital services and we feel a lot of people have been let down by this Labour council.

“We’ve had so much support over the last two years. We want to keep fighting to protect vital services.”

The pair began campaigning more than two years ago following the announcement that Kentish Road respite centre would shut as part of a cost cutting initiative.

Despite their protests, the centre, used by people with disabilities and illnesses to give carers a break, was closed in November.

Labour chiefs have since promised to open the centre at weekends.

But campaigners have continued to call for it to be reopened full time.

Councillor Simon Letts said he was “not surprised” to see the pair standing.

He added: “We live in a democracy and anyone can stand. We will leave it up to the the electorate to decide who is best to represent Bitterne ward in May.”

This year’s city council election will take place on Thursday, May 3.

As the council elects in thirds, one seat of the three seats from each of the city’s 16 wards will be up for grabs.

A full list of candidates is due to be released imminently.