LEADERS of a new bid to tackle hate crime in Southampton have praised the "brilliant" response to the campaign.

Almost 30 organisations headed by the SPECTRUM Centre for Independent Living have joined forces in a Daily Echo-backed attempt to make Southampton the "most accepting" city in the UK.

SPECTRUM's chief executive is Ian Loynes, himself a victim of verbal abuse.

He said campaigners wanted to change attitudes and help ensure hate crime became as socially unacceptable as drink-driving or not wearing a seatbelt.

Describing the reaction to Love Don't Hate, launched last Saturday to coincide with the start of National Hate Crime Awareness Week, Mr Loynes said: "We’re hugely impressed with the response, which has been brilliant from every sector of society.

"We started this campaign to respond to what is happening to people in Southampton on a daily basis.

"SPECTRUM works particularly with disabled people and it would be unusual to meet a disabled person who hasn’t been affected by hate crime.

"Even relatively minor things can become big issues for people if they occur on a regular basis."

Mr Loynes said peoples’ differences should be seen as a positive rather than a negative and urged community groups to play their part.

"Standing up and speaking out for each other in the way this campaign is encouraging people to do is more likely to be effective in stamping out hate crime in the city," he said.

Love Don't Hate follows new figures which suggest Southampton is the second worst city in the UK for hate crime.

Mr Loynes said: "Whether you're the person being abused, or you see a person being abused, we want you to record the crime on our new Love Don't Hate app, available on Google Play or Apple Store."