MORE than 2,000 Plymothians have quit smoking in the past year, according to new figures.

A report by the NHS information centre this week shows 4,114 smokers set a quit date through Plymouth serv- ices, with 2,120 successfully giving up cigarettes – 52 per cent.

City smoking cessation managers called the figure a "fantastic achievement", but said efforts were being stepped up to encourage more to quit.

Figures published earlier this year show Plymouth has one of the highest percentage of adult smokers in the South West – 28.5 per cent of the city's population over the age of 16 smoke.

Sarah Wyatt, smoking cessation and tobacco control manager for Plymouth NHS Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT), said: "We just achieved our government target with 2,120 successful quitters, which is phenomenal and we are proud to have reached it.

"However, we have even more challenging targets to meet, especially in areas of deprivation and encouraging pregnant women to quit."

Government figures for 2006/07 show 22.9 per cent of pregnant women in Plymouth smoke – compared to a national average of 16.1.