IT's the new tool that police hope will help stamp out hate crime in Hampshire.

A mobile phone app has been officially launched today aimed at helping victims get the help and advice they need at the push of a button.

Scores of community representatives from a wide ranging cross section of society turned out for the event at the Ageas Bowl, the home of Hampshire cricket, this morning.

The event was hosted by Hampshire police in conjunction with Hampshire Cricket Community Trust and was addressed by chief constable Andy Marsh and chairman of the Ageas Bowl Rod Bransgrove.

Opening the event, Mr Marsh told how hate crime is any incident where a person is targeted because of who they are - be it for the colour of their skin, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, religion or ethnicity.

He said the launch of the app, created for the force at a cost that has not been revealed for commercially sensitive reasons, came poignantly at the time of the 20th anniversary of the murder of Stephen Lawrence and during Mental Health Awareness Week.

Mr Bransgrove told how sport could help reach out to people in ways which nobody else could and described hate crime as repulsive. He commended the creation of the app, which can be downloaded for free, and said it would receive his full backing.

The app was the brainchild of Hampshire PC Ahmed Sasso, who is based in Southampton, who wanted to further reach out to hate crime victims in particular young people and women who need support.