Yeovil Express chief reporter Steve Sowden today (Tuesday) began one of the biggest challenges of his life - giving up smoking.

Inspired after taking some good-natured banter from friends after writing an article in the Express about smokers quitting the habit for 2006, Steve has decided to give it a go himself.

Steve, who has started to use nicotine patches in a bid to stop him craving for the fags he has smoked for more than 15 years, said: "The omens did not start too well when I went to a pharmacy in Yeovil to pick up the patches and they told me they'd run out!

"But I eventually got them and now I've started what will be a long and irritable road to a smoke-free lifestyle - I hope!"

For more news on Steve's bid to stop smoking see tomorrow's Yeovil Express.