SMOKING rates in Redditch decreased last year, new figures show.

However, charity Action on Smoking and Health said the figures are a "wake up call" as rates across the country are not falling fast enough to meet the Government's target of 5% or less by 2030.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show 13.6% of adults in Redditch smoked in 2022 – down from 17.1% the year before.

It follows trends across England, where the national rate of smokers reached 12.7%, the lowest level on record.

Across the UK, smoking among adults also fell to its lowest level of 12.9% last year – a drop on the 13.3% reported in 2021.

The data also revealed men in the UK were more likely to smoke, with 14.6% using cigarettes in 2022 compared to 11.2% of women.

Similarly, men in Redditch were more likely to be smokers at 18.3% compared to 9.8% of women in the area last year.