THERE'S just five days to go - and charity bosses are urging for a final push in the Daily Echo's Easter appeal.

Already our Back to Basics appeal has brought in more than two tonnes of food to be given to Hampshire's poorest families.

On top of that, there are piles of tinned food to be picked up from businesses and collection points across the county, including Southampton police, Barclays Bank and Ford motor company.

But workers at the city's Basics Bank, which puts together the vital food parcels, are urging Echo readers not to sit back for the final few days.

Paul Ozanne, from umbrella organisation SCRATCH, said: "It's going brilliantly so far. The public have been dropping food off unexpectedly, businesses have done us proud and several churches have opted in. One worth a mention for quantity and quality is St Andrew's URC church, in The Avenue, as a result of

their out-of-season "Australian Harvest".

"The shelves at the Basics Bank are full and its great to see boxes of breakfast cereals, always in short supply. The place is beginning to look like a mini supermarket and the staff and volunteers are getting really excited."

He added: "Now we just want everyone to give the appeal a final boost this week, in the run up to Easter. This is a chance to make a difference to people in Hampshire hit by extreme poverty."

If every Daily Echo reader donated just one tin, there would be enough food to create five-day meal parcels for 7,000 people. Collection points have been set up around the county and all the food will be distributed locally.

Tinned meat is desperately needed, as are breakfast cereals, tea and coffee. The Basics Bank also takes pasta, rice, tinned fruit, pasta sauce and baby food. Help fight poverty in Hampshire. For more information, contact the Basics Bank on 023 8077 3132 or call Paul Ozanne on 07711 446 850.