Plan for Oxfordshire to be first 'smoke-free' county by 2025 Published duration 21 February

image copyright Getty Images image caption Oxfordshire County Council said the new strategy would be a "step change" in how smoking is treated

Oxfordshire could become England's first "smoke-free" county by 2025 under a plan unveiled by its county council.

It wants to cut the proportion of people smoking to below 5% - half of the total currently.

When smoking rates fall below 5%, an area is considered to be "smoke free" because the habit would be deemed unusual.

A consultation on an "ambitious" strategy will be launched by the council in March.

Ansaf Azhar, the council's director of public health, said the Oxfordshire Tobacco Control Strategy would be a "step change" in how smoking was treated in the county.

Mr Azhar said the strategy would include introducing more smoke-free environments, supporting smokers to quit, regulating tobacco products and continuing existing prevention work, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).