One in five smokers give up trying to quit within 24 hrs

In a survey of 6,200 current or former smokers, researchers found that the average smoker tried to quit four times, and one in 10 unsuccessfully tried 10 times, The Independent reported.

But despite the repeated failures, 45 per cent of smokers think about giving up every day.

Three in five (60 per cent) plan to stub out their last cigarette in January, according to the survey on behalf of Pfizer's Don't Go Cold Turkey campaign.

The campaign aims to encourage smokers to talk to healthcare workers about how they plan to quit, the paper quoted PA news agency as reporting.

"As a GP, my main aim is to get people to look at leading healthier lifestyles and one of the most important of these is stopping smoking," London-based GP Dr Sarah Jarvis said.

"I'm aware that the vast majority of people who do smoke are either desperate to quit or have tried and failed in the past," Jarvis said.

"I want those who are motivated to quit to consider that there is support available and that even a brief conversation with their healthcare professional or local stop smoking service can increase their chances of success by up to four times, compared to going cold turkey," Jarvis added.