HUNDREDS of people affected by Aids and HIV supported Bath's annual torchlit procession and candlelit vigil marking World Aids Day on November 30.

The event, in its seventh year, was organised by Bath Aids and HIV charity the Aled Richard Trust with the Terrence Higgins Trust.

Procession co-ordinator Bernard Wildsmith, who has HIV, said the event marked some shocking new statistics about HIV.

Mr Wildsmith said: "This year in the UK we have seen the highest rate of infection spread in 10 years. It is frightening, in this country we are lucky people can receive treatments."

There are misconceptions that the disease is spread mainly by homosexuals.

Mr Wildsmith said: "The two groups most affected and at risk are the under-25s and the over-50s and they are mainly heterosexuals."

He said the shocking statistics could be due to ignorance or unawareness of the dangers of not practising safe sex.

Mr Wildsmith said: "Young people seem to believe in a natural immunity and don't think it will happen to them and older people may not discuss safe sex.

"The theme of the march is Men Make A Difference but I like to say everyone makes a difference, there are 18.8m people living with HIV worldwide with 34 million deaths so far."

Supporters of the procession handed out leaflets and collected donations in the city following the 7.30pm departure from Green Park.

In a bid to celebrate peoples' lives The Bath University Samba Band led the procession before they halted at Holy Trinity Church in Queens Square.

The aim of this year's event was to raise public awareness of the health risks associated with HIV and Aids.

Mr Wildsmith said: "When you sleep with someone you sleep with all of the people they have slept with, and then all the people that slept with them. It only takes once to get the disease.

"A lack of awareness makes it hard to identify the number of people living with HIV in Bath.

"There are around 300 people in Bath living with HIV, you may or may not know them but they are here.

"The greatest risk is not telling people if you have the disease, because if you don't tell them they won't know what precautions to take."

l Anyone interested in supporting the Aled Richard Trust or Terrence Higgins Trust should contact: (0117) 955 1000 or (01225) 444347.