A QUITTERS' clinic held at a pub in Teesside is helping smokers stub out the weed.

The neighbourhood scheme is one of a number established by Hartlepool Primary Care Trust (PCT) to help reduce the number of smokers in the town.

Surveys show that 40 per cent of adults in Hartlepool smoke compared with a national average of 27 per cent.

Health workers say the community-based initiatives are helping to cut the numbers dramatically.

At least one drop-in clinic is held every weekday in the town where smokers who want to quit can get support, advice and nicotine replacement prescriptions.

The venues include a youth centre, a church hall, Sure Start projects and The Fens pub.

Carole Johnson, health development team leader for Hartlepool PCT, said: "Mainstream support for people who want to stop smoking is through their GP or local hospital, but not everyone feels comfortable about going there.

"We wanted to attract men, so it had to be somewhere they are happy with and at a time when they could attend, so the pub clinic is held from 6pm to 8pm."

Staff at the clinics include health visitors and nurse prescribers as well as a designated smoking cessation advisor from the Tees-wide Start Stopping Service.

Hartlepool PCT is trying to match Government targets to reduce smoking in the town by 85 per cent.

From April 2002 to March last year, 900 people in the town set a quit date and 573 of those were still not smoking four weeks later.

In the period from April last year to March this year, 1,740 set quit dates and 1,067 had given up cigarettes at four weeks.

These figures mean a total of 1,640 have quit for at least four weeks in two years.

The drop-in clinics are held on: Mondays, 4pm-6pm at Rossmere Youth Centre; Tuesdays, 1.30pm-3.30pm at St George's Church Hall (a pregnancy drop-in is held at the same time); Wednesdays, 2pm-4pm at 11 Front Street, Greatham and 6pm-8pm at The Fens pub; Thursdays, 1pm-3pm at Rossmere Way Sure Start South, Fridays, 10am-11.30am at Miers Avenue Sure Start North. No appointments are necessary.

For more information, telephone (01642) 223023.