SMOKERS are being urged to stub out their habit this festive season, after Suffolk health chiefs failed to hit their target for the number of quitters in the county.

SMOKERS are being urged to stub out their habit this festive season, after Suffolk health chiefs failed to hit their target for the number of quitters in the county.

Figures show the number of people who stopped smoking in Suffolk during the first six months of the financial year was 1,560, against a planned level of 1,647.

However NHS Suffolk, the county's primary care trust, said it was dedicated to getting more people to stop smoking.

Sally Hogg, head of health improvement partnerships, said: “Encouraging people to stop smoking is one of our key priorities, and forms a major element of the Healthy Ambitions Suffolk strategy.

“Stopping smoking is one of the biggest single steps that people can take towards improving their health, and means they are less likely to become dependent on medical resources in the long term.”

She said they are running extra clinics during weekends and evenings in various locations and are even looking at the possibility of running sessions from supermarkets.

Anyone who needs help to give up smoking should contact the Suffolk Stop Smoking Service on 0800 0856037, by e-mail at suffolk.stop.smoking@ipswichhospital.nhs.uk or by text on 01473 704314. Or visit www.suffolkstopsmokingservice.co.uk.