IT is one of Hampshire’s deadliest cancers, claiming the lives of nearly 700 people a year.

Now the county’s health chiefs are the latest to back a national campaign highlighting the devastating impact of lung cancer and urging people to spot the signs before it is too late.

H a m p s h i r e County Council is joining the NHS Be Clear on Cancer campaign – a major health initiative laying bare the impacts of the respiratory illness through TV adverts and a poster campaign.

An average 676 people in the county die annually from the illness, which has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers because people are diagnosed at a late stage when treatment is unable to save them.

It follows figures released last month revealing that each year 150 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in Southampton alone, with a rate of 56.9 per 100,000 – much higher than the England average of 45.8 – s p u r r i n g Southampton City Council to sign up to the initiative.

Figures also revealed that the illness claimed 118 lives in the city in 2011 – one person every three days.

Last month the Echo launched our Staying Alive campaign urging people to improve their diet and lifestyle and take up more exercise to avoid falling victim to preventable illnesses.

We revealed that 13,000 people in Hampshire died early from the four major killers of cancer, heart disease and stroke, lung disease and liver disease between 2009 and 2011.

Lung cancer normally strikes people over 50, but the NHS campaign is targeted at all ages and warns people to visit their doctor if they suffer a persistent cough for more than three weeks.

Council health and wellbeing executive member Cllr Liz Fairhurst said: “We need to improve the number of early diagnoses so that the treatment is started sooner and lives saved.

“This campaign will help to increase awareness and encourage people to take action earlier. No one should be put off going to see their GP if they are concerned.”