Reporter Mike Ribbeck continues his diary on quitting smoking

AN anonymous reader has sent me a clipping from a national newspaper about a woman in her 80s who gave up smoking after 70 years on the fags.

The problem with smoking is the longer you have the habit the harder it is to quit.

And the day after I got the clipping a letter arrived from Whalley which helped bring home the message.

The writer of the letter was a 76-year-old who started smoking at the age of 13 while she was at school.

Earlier this year the letter writer was forced to go into hospital for an operation. While she was in the hospital the lady's husband took the decision to throw out all the cigarettes, ashtrays and lighters in the house.

Amazingly the lady in question hasn't had a cigarette since which probably goes to show there is hope for us all.

Bob Kay of Clitheroe and Paula Birch of Blackburn have both written in to say they have decided to quit.

Others to quit since this column started are Joanne Dixon, of Accrington, Natasha Richardson, Paul Roberts, of Darwen, Andrea Curran, of Accrington, Andrea Muldoon, N Thompson and M Wiggans, of Blackburn, Mr Billington, of Accrington, Deborah Heyes, Jane Billington and Allison McIntyre.

Remember if you want your name adding to the list write to Michael Ribbeck at the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, Newspaper High, High Street, Lancashire BB1 1HT or e-mail mribbeck@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk.

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