A local woman picked up a weekend break in Windsor for herself and her three children this week by packing up smoking!

Thirty-five-year-old Lesley King, who used to live in New Hedges but moved to Broadmoor two weeks ago, was one of 15 winners to receive a prize at the Grand Final of the Wales Quit and Win Challenge 2001 held at Oakwood on Wednesday.

Lesley was to pick up a city break for two in Paris, sponsored by Bridge Britain, for remaining a smoke free zone for the last five months, but the organisers were delighted to agree to her request to exchange if for a weekend break in Windsor and a trip to Legoland for her and her three children, 10-year-old Lesley, Paul, aged four, and one-year-old Charley.

The Wales Quit and Win Challenge 2001 is one of a range of National Assembly for Wales initiatives which aim to tackle smoking, and the Assembly's minister for Health and Social Services, Jane Hutt, was at Oakwood to hand out the prizes, along with TV personality Rhodri Owen.

She said: "I'm very encouraged by the high number of smokers who have taken up the Quit and Win challenge.

"Some 3,200 people joined from all over Wales, with ages ranging from 18 to 84.

"This is helping to reduce smoking levels, although we accept that there is still a great deal to be done.

"There are very clear reasons for giving up smoking. Everyone who does is a winner, both financially and in terms of better health.

"The prizes on offer are an obvious incentive, but the benefits to giving up are manifold.

"Tobacco is the biggest single cause of premature death in Wales and the Assembly has placed a big priority on helping people to give up.

"Initiatives like Quit and Win, the Smokers Helpline and the community based smoking cessation services that now exist across the country can help make substantial inroads.

Jane Hutt also thanked the organisations who had sponsored the initiative, including Daihatsu, Bridge Travel, Activity Wales and Oakwood.

Speaking to the Observer after receiving her prize, Lesley said that she had started smoking from a young age.

"I can't remember exactly, but I know it was before I was legally allowed to buy cigarettes," she explained.

She revealed that she had tried to give up smoking in the past, but had been given fresh impetus after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

"Even then I didn't give up," she said. "However, I was getting all sorts of chest infections through smoking while having the chemotherapy, so enough was enough.

"Also, I don't want my children to smoke and wanted to set them a good example."

Lesley gave up smoking on January 10 and has not touched a cigarette since.

"I don't think I'll be starting again," she smiled.

Lesley said that her treatment for cancer was going well.

"I'm very positive," she said. "I'm a single mother with a family to bring up. I'm not going anywhere!"

When asked what the hardest part of quitting was, Lesley smiled: "Coming here today to receive my prize in front of all these cameras!"

The winner of the top Quit and Win prize of a Daihatsu Coure motor car was Margaret Batt, of Maesteg.