AROUND 150 people marched from Southampton to Portsmouth on a fundraising walk to raise awareness of meningitis.

The event was organised by mum of three Rachel Boulahri-Waite, whose baby daughter nearly died from the infection.

Rachel said: “The weather was a bit dismal but there were more people than there were last year. It was amazing. It was lovely to see people walking together, talking about their experiences.”

She said she hoped the 21-mile Hampshire Meningitis Every Second Counts Awareness Walk from Southampton General Hospital to Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital would raise around £7,000. The cash will go to the Meningitis Trust, Southampton General Hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit and local charities.