Hundreds of Winchester people have signed a spontaneous petition for peace in the face of the looming threat of war.

Wendy Barnaby, who helps organise vigils for peace, said she had been inundated with requests from people wishing to register their protest about potential war with Iraq.

"It's been extraordinary. We've been holding vigils at the Buttercross since September 11th, 2001 and have noticed a huge change in the public attitude.

"We seem to be tapping into a great reluctance to go to war. We are seeing a huge opposition, but people don't necessarily have a way to express it. "

She said peace protesters had previously had to "accost" people in the street to ask them to sign petitions, but lately, they had been queueing up to put their names down.

"On Saturday, there was a bitter wind, but I noticed nine people queuing to sign when nobody had asked them," added Wendy.

The petition has collected over 300 signatures in the last 10 days and will now be sent to MP, Mark Oaten and PM, Tony Blair.

Winchester people were among thousands who travelled to London last week to lobby their MPs. Angela Sealey, of Park Road, was one of those who met Mr Oaten at Westminster.

"I am a concerned human being with a family and grandchildren. I just want to be absolutely certain that all peaceful means have been used.

"Civilians pay for war in the end. There are appalling water shortages in Iraq and it's already a fragile country. If we bomb it, it won't have the infrastructure to cope."

Mr Oaten says he has been receiving an average of 10 letters a day from concerned constituents. "There is tremendous concern we will enter a war without good reason.

"There is worry the USA will act unilaterally, that the inspectors and the UN will not be given enough time and that a decision based on that evidence will not be taken," he said.

But despite the level of protest, the overwhelming sense was that it would have little impact.

"People who are coming to us are horrified by the prospect of war, but they don't know what they can do. There's horror, but resignation, a feeling of powerlessness," said Wendy, a member of the Winchester Quakers.

She said protesters could join the weekly vigils in Winchester High Street on Fridays between 12pm-1pm and on Saturdays between 2pm-3pm. There is also a peace protest in Westminster on February 15th.