The event was held to raise awareness about asbestos by The Hampshire Asbestos Support and Awareness Group.

The group was set up by sisters Diane McLellan and Lynne Squibb to help sufferers from killer lung cancer mesothelioma after their 71-year-old dad, Dave Salisbury, died from the disease.

The event, attended by Southampton Itchen MPJohn Denham, was held at Portsmouth Guildhall and was followed by a meeting.

Diane McLellan said the group was hoping to open a special centre for research into asbestos-related conditions, similar to one in New South Wales, Australia.

She said: 'The idea is to have a centre here like the one in Australia. Every penny raised today will go towards that.

'The government doesn't put any money into it at all so the funding all comes from charities.

'It's really important that people are aware how dangerous asbestos is.

Latest figures show 697 people in Portsmouth and south-east Hampshire died from mesothelioma between 1981 and 2005.