Wisbech is the capital of Cambridgeshire – when it comes to the numbers who smoke.

The findings come from new figures released by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

The group says the report is the “most comprehensive, and most accurate, breakdown of smokers in the region.”

Data collected from 107 (out of 108) GP practices across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough shows that 22 per cent of local patients (133,000 residents) are recorded to be smokers.

But the report says smoking prevalence was found to be statistically significantly higher than the CCG average in Peterborough (29.7 per cent) and Wisbech (29.6 per cent).

The prevalence of smoking across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough was found to be the highest in the most deprived 20 per cent of practices at 31 per cent - nearly double the prevalence seen in the two least deprived quintiles and statistically significantly higher than the CCG average.

The prevalence rate was also statistically significantly higher than the CCG average in the second most deprived 20 per cent of practices at 25.5 per cent.

The CCG says previously, the best local data on smoking prevalence were estimates from local authority surveys with small samples of the local population. They say the data from practices provides a much clearer, more accurate picture of smoking prevalence across the CCG.

Dr Amrit Takhar, clinical lead for coronary heart disease said: “All of the data has been plotted onto a series of maps to allow us to see where the practices with significantly high prevalence rates are located across the CCG area and to help with service planning for targeting smoking cessation activities.

“Smoking is the single most important changeable risk factor in many diseases and a key driver of coronary heart disease (CHD).

“One in six deaths from heart disease is attributed to smoking, not to mention the damage caused to your lungs, brain and countless other parts of the body.