A SOUTHAMPTON branch of the pressure group Fathers 4 Justice was launched last night.

The group, which campaigns for fathers to have greater access to their children and which now has more than 20,000 members across the country, met at the Swan Inn pub in High Street, Totton, where around 30 prospective new members were joined by founder Matt O'Connor.

The Southampton branch has been launched so that estranged fathers will no longer have to travel to Portsmouth branch meetings to get advice.

Campaigner Jason Hatch, who caused a royal security scare last year when he scaled the walls of Buckingham Palace dressed as Batman, was due to join the meeting but was unable to attend due to illness.

Mr O'Connor said: "There is a great demand here. We want to put Southampton on the map the way we have put other

parts of the country on the map."

The meeting also marked the launch of the Fathers 4 Justice self-help group, which aims to give Southampton people advice on how to fill in forms and how the family court system runs, as well as advice on a range of subjects, including the Child Support Agency.

The self-help meeting is open to all. It is hoped the group will meet monthly at the same venue, on the third Monday.