LANCASHIRE'S Stoptober campaign has been hailed as a success following the release of the latest stop-smoking figures.

The figures show that 45 per cent of people who decided to quit smoking as a result of Stoptober have now quit for four weeks or longer.

Nearly 400 people are now classed as longer-term quitters.

Stoptober was a national campaign run by Public Health England and supported locally by Lancashire County Council.

The campaign was one of the most successful ever held in the country with more than 4,300 residents making a pledge to quit.

Cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Lancashire County Council, Coun Azhar Ali, said: “I'm pleased that so many people who decided to quit with support from stop smoking services have now given up.”