Major Tom’s test to prove he HAS quit

The former Army major has given up smoking as part of NHS initiative ‘Stoptober’, raising money for Guild Care in the process.

With the challenge mid-way through, Adur and Worthing Wellbeing Hubs gave him carbon monoxide breath test in order to prove he had not been smoking.

The test picks up evidence of carbon monoxide from up to ten days beforehand, with a reading of between one and seven being typical of a non-smoker. And, to his relief, Major Wye recorded a reading of just three.

He said: “To my knowledge, there have not been any rumours as such, but there might be people who doubt that I would have been able to do it.

“I was fairly confident of passing the test, as I knew I had not had a cigarette.”

Before ‘Stoptober’ began, Mr Wye had been smoking 40-a-day for several decades.

He said he was not finding the task easy but was determined to raise money for Guild Care, which will go towards its Building a Home to Remember appeal.

He has already raised several hundred pounds.

He said: “It is very hard. It would be silly after a month to start-up again but I am not making any promises beyond this month.

“As cabinet member for health and wellbeing, the Wellbeing Hubs are very keen that I should be setting an example.

“I would say that if I can do it, anybody can do it.”

Wellbeing Hubs manager Janice Hoiles said she was ‘impressed’ that Mr Wye had not been smoking, and that the reading he recorded would be typical of a non-smoker.