A NATIONAL asthma charity is joining the fight to save a service offering a vital lifeline to thousands of asthma and allergy sufferers in Hampshire.

The National Asthma Campaign is backing the Daily Echo Fight for Breath campaign, which aims to save the threatened asthma and allergy clinics in Southamp-ton.

Funded by the world-renowned Asthma, Allergy and Inflammation Research (Aair) Charity based at Southampton General Hospital, the free clinics have been running for the last two years.

But, as the cost of research increases, the service may have to go in the New Year because of a £30,000 shortfall.

Lucy Twitchin, communications officer for the National Asthma Campaign, said: "It will be a real shame if the Southampton asthma and allergy clinics are to close.

"Living with asthma raises many concerns, which GPs often don't have the time and resources to address.

"The specialist nurses at Southampton can give people with asthma the time they need to understand their condition and help them learn how to control it. This knowledge can have a real impact on their quality of life."

The clinics, which are open to the public four days a week in various areas of Southampton, are run by specialist nurse and fellow asthmatic Chellan Eames.

Chellan is regularly contacted by people as far afield as Surrey and the Midlands and is a vital support for the 28,000 sufferers in Southampton alone.

Since the launch of the Daily Echo campaign, readers have raised enough money to keep the facility up and running until the end of February, but more is still needed.

Fight for Breath has already been backed by the family of nine-year-old Millbrook youngster Jamie Stubbs, who died from an asthma attack in May.

Has your life been turned around by Chellan and the Asthma and Allergy team? Are you organising a fundraising event for the clinics? If so call Emma Barnett on 023 8042 4505.

If you can help raise funds for Aair, or would like to make a donation to help save the clinics, call 023 8077 1234. You can also write to The Aair Charity, Medical Specialities, Level D, Centre Block, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, making sure you mark your donation for the Asthma and Allergy Clinics.