Video aims to target young smokers in Fenland town rated number one for smoking in country

Adults in Fenland are 10 times more likely to smoke than in some other parts of the country with more than a quarter hooked on the habit.

Those startling figures prompted a new campaign by the Wisbech Primary Care Network (WPCN), which sees the four GP surgeries in the town working collaboratively on a variety of issues and initiatives to address the health needs of the population.

The number of adults smoking in Wisbech puts the town top of the league in the country, which is not surprising when statistics show those living in a deprived area in England are four times more likely to smoke than those in the least deprived.

Matthew Warren, who is the WPCN manager at the North Brink Practice, explained: "As part of the new Wisbech Integrated Neighbourhood Team we looked at some of the biggest health challenges facing the Fenland area and alarmingly found that Fenland was number one in the country for the highest number of smokers, and that a massive 27% of adults currently smoked which is 10 times more than the lowest part of the nation, Ryedale in North Yorkshire where only just 2.3% smoke."

The team, which has already produced videos as part of campaign to encourage more women to take up cervical smear tests and for parents to have their children immunised, also found 22 young people start smoking in Cambridgeshire every week - that's 1,141 a year.

Working with local artist Yuli Gates the WPCN have launched a stop smoking website: www.stopsmokingwisbech.co.uk

And then as part of a wider campaign looked at tackling young people smoking and have come up with a hard hitting video.

Working with Mark Burke and James Mayes of Xblacillacam, the team came up with an idea featuring a young footballer, whose hero dad is a smoker. Wanting to be like his dad the boy, Lincoln, takes up the habit at the age of 14.

The video shows the impact that has on his football and goes on to show him dealing with his dad's death at the age off 44 due to smoking.

The heart break of losing his dad makes him quit the cigarettes and the video shows him grown up living a happy and healthy life.

The main actor is Wisbech teenager Lincoln a pupil from Thomas Clarkson Academy, who plays for Leverington. The smoker is his real dad Barry.

Matt, who plays the football coach in the video, added: "Children whose parents smoke are four times as likely to take up smoking themselves.

"Most adult smokers have had their first cigarette or were already addicted to nicotine by the age of 18 and 90% of lifetime smoking is initiated between the ages of 10 and 20 years.

"That's why it is so important to tackle young people smoking, and to help adults to quit the habit to help safeguard their health and that of future generations.

"We have produced, what we feel, is a hard hitting but true account of what smoking does to families and we are very proud of it.

"If it stops one young person from smoking, potentially saving his life, then for me it's all worth it."