Health promotion workers rolled into Keighley this week to urge Asian people to quit smoking.

The Stop Smoking Bus, owned by the West Yorkshire Smoking and Health organisation, visited the Sangat Centre to pass on help and advice to smokers eager to kick the habit.

The visit coincided with a promotion launched during the holy month of Ramadan to encourage people of all ages, especially men, to stop smoking and chewing tobacco.

Members of the community were offered information and were invited to test the levels of carbon monoxide in their breath.

Health workers also handed out boxes of dates during Ramadan, which included messages of support and encouragement.

Mohammed Idrees, the South Asian community development worker with the Smoking Cessation Service, said: "We've been visiting mosques every Friday to hand out leaflets and we've had a very good response from people in Keighley.

"Some of us were on Ramadan Radio, in Keighley, and we were very pleased with the response we got on air and following the show. We have introduced smokers to nicotine replacement therapy and provided advice about where to get more treatment.

"The chewing of Paan, which contains tobacco, is very common in the Bangladeshi community for cultural and traditional reasons, but it can lead to cancer of the mouth and throat."

Christine Hewitt, a co-ordinator with the Smoking Cessation Service, which is part of Bradford Community NHS Trust, added: "The South Asian communities are one of our target populations and districtwide we are looking to make the service equally accessible to all.

"Our message is that we will give people the strength to do it."

The service is to visit local advice and day centres in the near future to spread the message about kicking the habit.