Picture editor Shaun Thompson has pledged to kick the smoking habit in a very public way - he's announced his intentions in the paper he works for, the Bristol Evening Post.

The bad lad started on cigarettes aged 12 and soon progressed to 20-a-day once he started work in the (then) smoke-filled world of newspapers.

But when he got to 22 and was on a trip to the Himalayas, his breathlessness and aching chest warned him it was time to kick-start his fitness.

He stopped for a few months on his return but as with so many other smokers, he fell back into his old routine.

Now, at 28, he says he has realised the error of his ways - and is convinced he'll succeed in quitting, if only because of his poor fitness.

Shaun also believes his hobby of husky racing is suffering too.

He said: "When I was a teenager I never thought that smoking would make me a loser. So now I'm hoping that giving up can help me win."

Now, after going public in the Post as part of its No Smoking Day coverage, the paper is asking for readers to come up with hints and tips to help Shaun put the habit behind him.

So will this be another of his failed attempts? HTFP will keep you posted.

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