South West leads the way on public smoking ban

If you're trying to give up smoking, you probably won't need reminding that October is also 'Stoptober'. The scheme challenges smokers to give up for the whole month, which makes you far more likely to give up for good, according to doctors.

The South West is leading the way - it now has the lowest smoking rate of any English region, and Bristol was the first city in the country to introduce voluntary smokefree zones.

Just 15.5% of people here smoke tobacco cigarettes - the lowest of any English region. That's a fall of 3.2% over four years. And sales of cigarettes here are down 14.5% in the past year.

Kate Knight, director of public health action, says Bristol's example of banning smoking in public places is being followed both nationally and internationally.

Read more about Stoptober and your stories of giving up smoking here