A GROUP of health board staff are joining forces to kick the habit on National No Smoking Day.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde organised a 6am support group to help seven shift workers, from the board's laundry service in Uddingston, who are preparing to quit.

Lesley Grant, 47, from Knightswood, has been smoking for 34 years.

She said: "I start at 7am and some of the others work nights so for us it's really difficult to access mainstream stop smoking groups, so to have these groups provided through work at 6am and 7am has been absolutely brilliant."

Karen Mather, Health Improvement Lead, said: "We are keen to be flexible with staff and let them know we are here to support them with quitting smoking"

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has warned that more than half of Scotland's fatal fires are caused by smoking.

Last year accidental house fires saw 37 people lose their lives in Scotland.