LIVING has joined forces with Vodafone to honour our region's lifesavers. Alison Timms tells KATE THOMPSON her chilling story...

A HAMPSHIRE mother-of-three has nominated her brave husband for a major award after he saved her life in the French Alps.

Alison Timms hailed her husband Michael a hero after they were both caught in a 50mph avalanche while on holiday in April.

Michael, 47, who works for a software development company, shouted there's an avalanche coming but Alison, 40, who had been skiing in front of her husband, was knocked off her feet by the force of the snow and sent plummeting head first down the slope.

Mrs Timms feared she would die as her head was submerged under 3ft of snow and she could not breathe.

She told Living: "There was a 4ft stream of snow, flowing down very fast. I skied into it and stopped dead before toppling over face first.

"I was forced head first down the side of the mountain. My husband was four feet behind me and was able to get out of the way but he could see what was happening to me.

"He made a grab for my back pack and was able to flip me over and onto him."

The couple careered down the mountain together - at first Alison thought it was exciting but as she saw the force of the snow and rocks around them she realised they were both in danger of losing their lives.

"Initially I thought it was like sledging without the sledge but then we went into freefall and I thought we had both come off the edge of the mountain," she said.

They fell for about 15ft and when they finally landed, they were relieved to discover they were both okay.

"We had travelled about 350m and the stream of snow had grown from 4ft wide to about 200 ft wide.

"When we were separated, Michael ended up about 60ft behind me up the mountain - the piste director said we were both very lucky to survive," she said.

Alison from East Tisted decided to nominate Michael for the Vodafone LifeSaver awards in recognition of what he did.

"There is no way I would have been able to turn myself in the snow - he definitely saved my life.

"Surviving the avalanche has made us both appreciate each other more - Michael is my hero," she said.

The Vodafone LifeSavers Awards are a unique annual search for inspiring stories of men and women who have saved the life of another in extraordinary circumstances.

The LifeSavers Awards are supported by Vodafone in recognition of the vital role mobile phone calls can play when minutes matter in an emergency.

So, if you know someone who has saved a life in a remarkable circumstance during the last two years, we are inviting you to share your story with other Living readers.

If your nomination is selected as our top story, you and the lifesaver you nominate will each win a Vodfone live! with 3G mobile phone. This pay-as-you-talk phone has a built-in camera, access to video and information services, the facility to download your favourite music tracks plus allows you to send and receive video messages (3G coverage subject to availability).

We are looking for individuals or crews who embody the spirit of all those unsung heroes who work within our emergency services.

Equally, our winning lifesaver could be an ordinary member of the public who has shown outstanding courage or initiative when confronted with a life-threatening emergency.

So, whether you have a personal experience of a life or death situation, or you know someone whose selflessness offered a vital lifeline when hope was fading, we want to hear from you.

Our top story will automatically secure a place on the 2005 Life Savers Awards National Shortlist and go before a celebrity judging panel including Claire Sweeney, Martin Kemp, Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield, Nell McAndrew, Falklands war veteran Simon Weston, Jane Asher and Michael Buerk.

If the nomination goes on to be selected as one of ten National Finalists, our lifesavers will be invited to attend a special reception at Downing Street hosted by the Prime Minister followed by a star studded awards presentation at London's Savoy Hotel in November.

And if it's your nomination that sends them on their way, we shall also invite you and a guest to the gala luncheon at London's Savoy Hotel.

Tell us, in no more than 500 words, why your nomination should be considered. Don't forget to include the name of the rescuer and the person/people saved plus a daytime telephone number. Send your nomination to Kate Thompson, Daily Echo, Newspaper House, Test Lane, Southampton SO16 9JX or e-mail kate.thompson@soton-echo.co.uk. All entries must be received by Friday, June 17th.