Bev’s battle with ciggies is going well (From The Bolton News)

Bev’s battle with ciggies is going well

10:32am Saturday 13th October 2012 in Local

ALMOST two weeks since sales executive Bev Bannister quit smoking and she has still not touched a cigarette.

The 45-year-old, from Halliwell, quit smoking on October 1, as part of Stoptober, a national initiative to encourage people to give up smoking.

Mrs Bannister, who smoked for 32 years, took the first three days of the challenge off work to help her adjust to not smoking but since then she has been back at work at The Bolton News.

She said: “Day three was really hard and I just got in bed and went to sleep, but since then it has been going really well.

“I had my first night out on Friday and I was dreading it but when my friend went out for a cigarette I stayed inside, I did eat my way through the bar though, with crisps and nuts.”

Mrs Bannister’s husband Reece, also aged 45, is also taking part in the challenge. He has smoked five cigarettes since October 1 — he would have normally smoked 360.

The couple saved £130 last week by not smoking and Mrs Bannister spent some of the money treating herself by getting her laundry done.

Mrs Bannister, who is using her challenge to raise cash for the Hospice at Home Appeal for Bolton Hospice, is writing a daily diary detailing the ups and downs of her quitting process for The Bolton News.