Dozens of people visited an event aiming to tackle asthma levels on the Island.

The Open Airways charity held a stall at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital yesterday to hand out vital tips to sufferers of the condition and their families.

On display were a host of household items which can trigger asthma attacks, including furniture polish, air freshener sprays and plug-ins. People were given information leaflets and free "spacer" devices which help ensure their inhalers are as effective as possible.

Asthma nurse Jennifer Wilson, an asthmatic, said she suffered regularly from attacks until she began taking a few simple preventative steps.

"I frequently felt wheezy and tight and it was a concern," she said. "But now I have a turbo-inhaler which is both preventative and a reliever. If I use it every 12 hours it makes a big difference.

"I also know now I can't use perfumes or sprays. Before I'd be getting ready to go out and wonder why I was wheezing. It was the perfume.

"It's extremely important that people find out all these little things and understand what they are putting in their environment."

The fair was organised to mark World Asthma Day. The Island-wide Open Airways programme has given special training to hundreds of healthcare professionals, held numerous presentations and rallied for a series of initiatives to tackle asthma rates.

Since its launch ten years ago, asthma admissions to KEMH have fallen 73 percent. This compares favourably with the US, where hospital admissions have risen in the same period, and the UK, where they have fallen by just 6.5 percent.

However, thousands of people still visit the hospital's emergency department every year with asthma.

James Simmons, 80, was at the event to pick up advice. He said: "In the old days asthma attacked us. Now we attack asthma."

Open Airways founder Liz Boden declared the day a great success. She said: "The clear message is that no-one should suffer from asthma."