DEVON residents are being urged to stop smoking as part of a national 'Stoptober' campaign.

The 28-day challenge to support smokers to stop has returned, and with the introduction of new legislation making it illegal to smoke in a car with a person under the age of 18 - there are more reasons than ever to quit.

Devon County Council is backing the Stoptober campaign and is working with organisations and communities across the county to support people to quit. The authority is hosting a range of events and activities and smoking cessation support and advice through its Devon Stop Smoking Service.

More than 100,000 people in Devon currently smoke.

Last year in Devon, 2,744 people signed up to quit through Stoptober.

Devon resident Sylvia Larcombe, 68, first tried smoking when she was 13 years old, and went on to become a regular smoker of up to 20 cigarettes a day.

Realising smoking was damaging her health, with worsening circulation in her leg making it difficult to walk, Sylvia took advice to stop smoking before specialist medical treatment.

“Every time I went to the GP they would ask if I was still smoking and advise me to stop," she said.

"I found out about the local stop smoking service from my GP. I always felt like I was going to get my halo polished and my advisor, Denise, gave me so much support and encouragement. Now I’m determined to be smokefree for life.

“On the day of my last cigarette I took all my smoking paraphernalia to my daughter who promptly put it in the bin! My daughter gave me a big box of hero chocolates for quitting, she made me feel like a hero. I’ve achieved something amazing after a life time of smoking.”

This year, Stoptober will be providing quitters with a personal touch from some of the nation’s leading comedians – Bill Bailey, Rhod Gilbert, Al Murray and Shappi Khorsandi. Messages of support and encouragement will be sent straight to quitters’ phones and emails throughout October.

Cllr Andrea Davis, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Stoptober is now a well recognised and successful campaign, where thousands of people each year successfully quit smoking.

“With the introduction this year of new laws around smoking in cars where there are children present, there are more reasons than ever to quit, and anyone signing up to Stoptober will receive plenty of support, from an app with comedy clips to motivational quotes and even a money saving calculator, or free personalised face to face advice and support is available through our Devon Stop Smoking Service.

“People who quit for a month or more are five times more likely to quit for good, and if you sign up with a friend of family member, that increases your success rate even more.”