Thousands of people in Kirklees are blighted by smoking-related illnesses, Public Health England (PHE) have claimed.

And the experts hope it will be a spur for smokers to make 2016 the year to make a clean break from the habit.

The health body say the number of smokers suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in Yorkshire is now more than 122,700, with nearly 15% of these in Kirklees alone.

COPD is the umbrella term used for serious lung conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Symptoms include the early signs of smokers’ cough, which often leads to breathlessness and frequent chest infections.

The PHE figures reveal that 8,324 people in Huddersfield and North Kirklees are registered as having COPD, while 590 people died as a result of smoking-related illnesses between 2012 and 2014.

Ex-Olympic athlete, Iwan Thomas whose mother has just been diagnosed with COPD, says: “I’ve never fully understood COPD or the everyday consequences but when the simple things like climbing the stairs, making a cup of tea or walking to the bus stop become impossible, it’s serious.

Olympian Iwan Thomas wears resistance breathing apparatus that create the experience of what it feels like to live with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), to learn more about the condition as part of Public Health England's Smokefree campaign, at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London.
Olympian Iwan Thomas wears resistance breathing apparatus that create the experience of what it feels like to live with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), to learn more about the condition as part of Public Health England's Smokefree campaign, at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London.

“After years of smoking, it’s great that my mum is making 2016 the year she quits and I’d urge anyone who smokes to do the same.

“Quitting smoking can add years to your life and life to your years.”

Corinne Harvey, from PHE in Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “COPD may not be well known but it can be a serious and severely debilitating disease, dramatically affecting people’s lives and leading to years of suffering.

“January is a time when many people make New Year’s resolutions and resolving to stop smoking is the best thing you can do not only for your health but for the health of those around you.”