A HOST of soap stars have pledged their support to a campaign aimed at rallying support for stressed-out parents in Hampshire.

The casts of popular TV soaps Brookside, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks have joined forces to help raise the profile of local parenting charity, Parent-line Plus.

Their support marks the launch of the Eastleigh-based charity's Talking Families pledge campaign which aims to encourage mums and dads to sign up to do a range of activities locally.

Throughout the country, people will be speaking out about what it's like to bring up children and raising awareness of the local services provided by the charity.

Organisers behind Parentline Plus run a free helpline and parenting classes to deal with problems ranging from divorce and separation to bullying and teenage pregnancy.

Spokeswoman Lorraine Tate said: "Children come without instructions and sometimes mums and dads find the going tough. Through our Talking Families campaign, which is supported by BT, Parentline Plus wants to encourage people to talk about the difficulties they face, and do something positive in their local community."

The charity wants Hampshire parents to get involved in Talking Families week, which will take place next year. Anyone interested in helping can call 023 8065 0599. The Parentline service itself is available on 0808 800 2222.