MORE than 300 people in an area of Stockton have signed a national petition to help Africa's Aids victims.

MP Dari Taylor distributed the petition, which aims to force rich countries to help Aids victims, around her Stockton South constituency.

It is hoped that one million signatures from across the UK will be collected and handed to the European Commission in Brussels.

The petition asks the EU to find another £3bn a year to tackle Aids in sub-Saharan Africa, where an estimated 25m people have the disease.

To date, Mrs Taylor has collected more signatures than any other constituency.

She said: "Time and again, I am impressed and overwhelmed by the number of people in Stockton South who place international development top of their agenda."