STAFF, patients and visitors to the Alexandra Hospital were encouraged to quit smoking with the use of high-impact displays last week.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and the Smoking Advisory Service provided help and support on national No Smoking Day last Wednesday.

Information was also available on groups set up to help people give up smoking.

Smokers were also targeted by fire crews who were in the town centre on Wednesday to highlight the dangers of cigarettes and matches.

Forty per cent of all fire-related deaths are caused by smoking-related materials and Redditch fire station's white watch were out to spread the message.