“ALL we want for Christmas is our centre back” was the message on a banner held by angry campaigners hoping to save a Southampton respite centre.

Meeting at the Mencap Centre in Portswood, the users of the Kentish Road facility gathered together for a fun day - but not before making their intentions known to the council.

Campaigner Lisa Stead said: “We will continue to fight. It’s not just us it’s effecting, people who use other facilities in Southampton are now feeling the effects of Kentish Road closing. It's stretching other services thin.”

Members of the city council’s cabinet unanimously agreed to axe the facility used by people with disabilities and illnesses to give their carers a break, at a cabinet meeting on November 14, ending a three-year debate over its future.

In agreeing to close the centre, civic chiefs also finalised plans to set up a smaller respite service in its place.

In an email to campaigner Amanda Guest, council leader Simon Letts said: “We now have six options in and around the city all of which are as good as or better than Kentish road.

"We have also made two buildings available – one in Weston, and another next to the Kentish Road site, to offer further choices.”

But single parent Claire Parsons, whose 23-year-old autistic son Josh attends the centre said users have had their choices reduced.

She said; “The promise to keep Kentish Road open until alternatives were in place for everyone has not been upheld. The ‘alternatives’ proffered are not suitable for those with a high level of need including my son.

"I am left with one ‘choice’ which just happens to be the council’s preferred option.”

Boxford councillor Keith Morrell, and Jeremy Moulton, the Conservative councillor for Freemantle joined campaigners at the centre.

Cllr Morell said that it was “despicable” that the council is refusing to listening to concerns of service users.

Cllr Moulton said he was fully supporting the campaign, and would be working with the support group to get Kentish Road re-opened.

“It’s the council saying it knows better than families. If any of those effected decide to take up 24 hour care it will cost the council a lot more money than Kentish road did.”

In response to the group’s continued action, councillor Letts said: “I respect their right to continue to protest.

“But I would prefer them to engage with the council and talk to us about the replacement centre.

“We would urge them to come on board and help us to design the new centre to fit their requirements.”