A new campaign is being launched this winter to improve air quality.

The aim is to tackle the problem of wood burning in homes across the region, which can affect people with breathing difficulties like asthma.

As the weather changes and the temperature drops, more people are lighting wood burning stoves in their house according to Eastleigh Borough Council.

The council say this can pollute the air and with coronavirus still circulating “that’s not something anyone wants on their conscience while they are trying to relax”.

As a result it has now teamed up with three nearby local authorities, Southampton, Winchester and the New Forest as part of the campaign.

The project offers residents information and advice on household burning, asking them to reduce the amount of burning they do, and to use cleaner fuels and more efficient appliances to help improve people’s overall health.

The campaign is backed by an Air Quality Grant worth £60,100 from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which will fund the project for the next two years.

A Council spokesperson said: “Nationally, household burning is the biggest contributor to particulate matter, which is linked with several heart and lung problems and can contribute to premature death in people with existing conditions.

“The Council is committed to improving air quality and this project is a great opportunity to raise awareness about the environmental and health impact that fumes from a fire can have and what residents can do to reduce the impact of burning to help improve our air.”