People across the West Country are being urged to back a hard-hitting initiative to save Stop Smoking Services from what campaigners say is the threat of closure.

A new joint report by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and Cancer Research UK found 57 per cent of local authorities in the West Country were forced to reduce their smoking cessation budgets in the last year.

Cancer Research UK is urging people to email local councillors and ask them to help put pressure on the Government to solve the funding crisis in public health.