AMERICAN families of firefighters who died in the World Trade Centre attack have been received fiancial support from the people of Hampshire.

A crew from St Mary's Fire Station raised an amazing £6,800 during a street collection in Southampton city centre for their counterparts in New York.

The firefighters - from the station's blue watch - gave up their day shift and spent five hours collecting outside McDonald's in Above Bar on September 29.

Sub-officer Pete Mundy said: "We decided to collect for the US firefighters' collection. We had a few buckets out and a few signs. We just want to say thanks to the people of Southampton because they were just so generous.

"One guy came up and asked if it was all going to New York and when we said 'yes' he put £120 in the bucket.

Another guy did the same and put £100 in. There were a lot of people putting £20 and £10 notes in."

The money will be forwarded on to the fund set up after the terrorist attack on September 11 to help the families of firefighters who died trying to rescue people from the World Trade Centre.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Mike Gates said: "All the full-time stations and a great many of the retained stations in Hampshire have been raising money for their colleagues in New York, whether it's by something as simple as making collections or getting sponsored to tow fire engines.

"We've had donations coming in to us from the general public as well.

"I had one cheque on Friday of £125 from a donor and there are cheques coming in all the time for hundreds of pounds."