TEXT messages, emails and phone calls are to be used in the latest attempt to encourage more smokers to kick the habit, the Government has announced.

Public health minister Caroline Flint said the new programme is aimed at people who want help, but not at face-to-face or formal support meetings.

Instead, those who register with the Together programme will receive a series of supportive mail packs, text messages and phone calls when they reach key stages of the giving-up process. Smokers calling the NHS Smoking Helpline - 0800 169 0 169 - will be offered the programme as an alternative to the more traditional services.

The Department of Health said that the programme would suit those who wish to keep their quitting attempt discreet as well as those living in remote areas and shift workers who find it difficult to attend meetings.

If a quitter opts out of the service, or it is discovered that they have started smoking again, the programme will encourage them to persevere and set a new quit date.

The new service was announced by Ms Flint at the launch of Cancer Research UK's Open Up To Mouth Cancer campaign on Tuesday.

She said: "In the past year, almost 300,000 people have given up using the one-to-one or group counselling that is available to them.

"However, it is clear that not everybody will be suited to this type of help and would prefer to receive support in their home environment which fits around their busy lives."