Soap star Saira Choudhry urges young women to kick the habit

HOLLYOAKS actress Saira Choudhry has urged young women to give up smoking today on World No Tobacco Day.

The 22-year-old, who plays the character Anita Roy in the Channel 4 soap, is supporting the campaign, which this year focuses on reducing the growing number of females aged 20-24 who are taking up smoking.

Saira said: "My Mum Fae is a no-smoking adviser and used to work in a hospital in Manchester. She always told me if I ever smoked she'd take me to the wards with her one day so I could see the effects for myself, which put me off completely.

"It's really worrying that there is an increase in young women of my age group who are smoking. Apart from the fact it's so bad for your health, it's also really ageing and bad for your skin. I reckon you can always tell who is a smoker by looking at their skin. I'd say to all young girls to give up this World No Tobacco Day and save up their money instead to go on a fabulous holiday or buy some great shoes."

According to The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, a national charity which helps people to give up smoking, 31 per cent of young women aged 20-24 now smoke.