ONE of Totton's biggest retailers is vowing to raise the money needed to give the town's war dead the recognition they deserve.

Asda is backing a campaign to enlarge Totton's war memorial and add the names of more than 160 servicemen killed in the two world wars.

Totton has one of the few memorials in the country that fails to identify the fallen.

The monument was built by the Totton and Eling branch of the Royal British Legion, which lacked the money to fund the inscriptions.

A public appeal launched in 2005 raised less than £300.

Asda stepped in after the Daily Echo revealed earlier this month that councillors and ex-servicemen were making a new attempt to finance the proposed improvements.

The supermarket is hoping to meet the full cost of the scheme, expected to be about £8,000.

New Forest East MP Dr Julian Lewis and several councillors visited the store to collect contributions. They netted a total of £280, more than doubling the amount raised in the previous two years. Councillor Di Brooks said: "Asda is hoping to raise all the money needed to improve the memorial.

"I'm thrilled to bits. Next year is the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War and it will be nice if we can get the names added in time."

The Royal British Legion is also pleased with the sudden improvement in the campaign's progress.

Branch vice-president Rodney Hawkins said: "We've had good feedback from the Daily Echo article, which resulted in people going up to Legion members and saying they'd like to make a donation.

"We're delighted that Asda are also being very helpful.

"Photographs of the memorial and last year's Remembrance Sunday service have been placed on the noticeboards in the supermarket to promote the appeal."

An Asda spokesman said anyone who wished to support the campaign could make a donation at the store.