A 999 FIRE control room covering the whole of the south-east is looking less likely, the Fire Brigades Union believes.

The FBU is claiming a double boost to its campaign opposing the creation of the super-control room.

The centralisation plan would mean the end of county 999 call centres like the one at the Hampshire brigade's HQ in Leigh Road at Eastleigh.

But Dean Mills, FBU executive council member, said the union expects to get new backing from both MPs and fire authorities in the south-east following a lobby of parliament this week.

Mr Mills said the lobby on Wednesday by 60 union reps from the region had been a success.

The tactic was to arrange one-to-one discussions with MPs, rather than staging a mass lobby, and Mr Mills hopes the meetings will result in an early day Commons motion opposing the centralisation plan.

"Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem MPs all agreed to support it," he said.

"We got a positive response from all the MPs we spoke to."

Mr Mills said the plan for regional control rooms, championed by Deputy Prime Minster John Prescott, was about to encounter further opposition in the south-east.