Woman quits smoking after 30 years

Thirty years and 500,000 cigarettes after taking up the habit, nurse Alice Churchill has finally given up for good.

The decision to kick her 40 a day habit comes after Mrs Churchill, from Bicester, realised she could not keep up with her five year old grandson.

The 47 year old grandmother-of-one started smoking when she was just 13 years old and living in Edinburgh. She told the Bicester Advertiser: "I was recently playing football in our local park with my husband, son and grandson and I realised I couldn't keep up. My grandson even made me go and stand in the goal because I was getting so out of breath. It really hit home then."

"So far I have managed a few weeks without cigarettes and I am taking each day as it comes," she added.

Realising that she had spent around £125,000 on tobacco was another reason Mrs Churchill has decided to quit. She decided her health kick should benefit others and has started a sponsored "cease smoke" to raise enough money to take the residents from the care home at which she works on a seaside holiday.

"My family and everyone at the care home has been a great help. All the residents keep me motivated," she added.

Giving up smoking without the help of quitting aides can be difficult. If Mrs Churchill finds herself struggling she can always use stop smoking hypnosis to help her kick the habit. Stop smoking hypnotherapy retrains the client's mind replacing false beliefs about smoking such as it helping them to relax, which in turn helps them quit.