SMOKERS in Trafford are being urged to take the first step in giving up cigarettes for good on No Smoking Day, which takes place on March 11.

While studies show that two-thirds of smokers want to quit, nearly one in five adults in Trafford continues to smoke.

This year’s No Smoking Day theme is ‘Proud to be a Quitter’.

Linda White, 60, from Altrincham, is among the people encouraging smokers to take the first steps to quitting.

The accounts clerk and mum-of-three began smoking at the age of 14 and was spending up to £50 a week to fund her 20-a-day habit.

Linda had tried hypnotherapy and nicotine patches to quit previously but says support from Trafford’s Stop Smoking Service has helped her to stay smoke-free for more than three months.

She said: “I’d started feeling very breathless which I didn’t like, I’m a very active person and it was a horrible feeling.

“I also hated the smell of cigarette smoke – it clings to everything. I used to wear a scarf to try to keep the smell off my coat but I still ended up buying new coats all the time.”

Linda found out about the Trafford Stop Smoking Service, run by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, online and has been seeing stop smoking specialist advisor Debbie Ledgerton since November.

She is using a mouth spray and nicotine patches to help curb her cravings and said she is delighted to be smoke-free.

She added: “It has been really hard but I feel so much better now, I’m much less breathless. I’d say to other people to give it a go and take it one day at a time and make sure you get the right support to quit.”

To receive information and support on stopping smoking visit nosmokingday.org.uk.

People can contact the Trafford Stop Smoking Service on 0300 4562400, by email at stopsmoking.trafford@nhs.net.