WE'RE home and dry - thanks to the Daily Echo. Bosses at war veterans charity the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association are celebrating after an appeal helped attract new volunteers to save it from closure.

Just days before celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of D-Day, the Daily Echo revealed that the Southampton branch of the vital organisation was facing the axe because of a lack of helpers.

The Daily Echo launched an appeal for more people to come forward.

Now three people have already been interviewed and six more are lined up to potentially become case workers helping ex-servicemen and women in their hour of need.

Treasurer Tim Wood said: "It's a very long process but if we get four or five new case workers from those interviewees it will really make an awful lot of difference to what we can achieve.

"The Daily Echo has done us proud. This has shown that some people really do care."

He added that while some of the new volunteers were in their 80s, and had experienced war themselves, several were people in their 20s or 30s.

"I'm not that surprised that we've attracted younger volunteers. It shows there are young people who do care about the generation above," said Mr Wood, 76.

More than 200 Army, Royal Navy and RAF veterans, as well as war widows, approach SSAFA every year, seeking help to buy a new fridge or more furniture.

The organisation even helps with visiting sick relatives in hospital or handing out regular help with nursing fees, by targeting service charities and other sources of funding.

It dishes out about £100,000 a year.

The volunteers face training and police checks before they can start working by themselves, but the promise of more help is enough to keep the current workers going for now.

To volunteer, contact SSAFA by writing to Tim Wood at Blighmont TA Centre, Millbrook Road West, Southampton SO15 0AJ.