A company boss has pledged to give £1,000 to charity for each of his 66 staff and sub-contractors who finally kick the nicotine addiction.

And he is willing to extend the "grand quit-smoking" offer to ten readers of the Keighley News.

Chief executive officer Norman Rhodes, from Simply Stairlifts, Pitt Street, Keighley, hopes the offer from the company -- potentially for £76,000 -- won't go up in smoke because local cancer hospice Manorlands will also benefit from the deal.

Company spokesman and the man behind the idea John Markham said: "I would like a minimum of £500 from each donation to go to Manorlands, in Oxenhope, because of the incredible job they do up there.

"The staff can each choose the charity for the other £500," said Mr Markham. Only four of the staff throughout the company are non-smokers and of the 20 workers based in Keighley, most smoke.

Mr Markham's mother worked at the Manorlands hospice for 25 years and a very close aunt died there.

He said: "I lost a very close auntie to cancer. She spent her final days at Manorlands and I wanted to do something to thank the staff there for all their hard work.

"Time has gone on since then but I think now is the right time -- and non-smoking day seemed a fantastic day to launch it.

"But our motives aren't entirely altruistic. I truly believe we could be more productive as a workforce if everyone gave up."

And Mr Markham knows only too well how hard it is to stop smoking.

He recently gave up a lengthy smoking habit of 60 to 80 cigarettes a day. It's been a few months now and it is hard but the health benefits are obvious -- we all know about them," he said.

He added: "It is not healthy to smoke and I don't believe it's efficient either for a workforce.

"We fit stairlifts at the company so it goes without saying that our customers don't want people smoking in their homes.

"In the past we have asked people to go into the vans or outside for cigarettes, which doesn't look good and wastes time.

"I want them all to give up for a host of reasons, and most of them have taken interest in the offer and are seriously thinking about it."

He said: "I want them to be seriously committed to this, and I believe that if they say they will do it they will really give it a proper go and try their best to stop for good."

If any readers are interested in giving up and raising cash for charity they should contact Norman Rhodes, at Simply Stairlifts, on 01535 680262.

A spokesman for Manorlands said: "Yes, we have spoken to the company and are aware of the idea, which we think is a fantastic offer. It's a brilliant idea -- giving up smoking is laudable enough in itself but it's an added bonus when Manorlands can get funds from it too. We think it's a very generous idea and are pleased that local people are trying to support Manorlands -- a local charity. We will support their efforts in any way we can."