A Turkish man has locked his head in a wire cage to give up smoking (Picture: YouTube)

Forget the gum, patches and e-cigs – one Turkish smoker is so desperate to quit smoking he has locked his head in a wire cage.

Ibrahim Yücel, from Kütahya in the west 0f the country, is attempting to kick his 26-year addiction after his father died of lung cancer.

The 42-year-old, who has been hooked since the age of 16, built the cage himself using 130ft of copper wire.

The peculiar contraption allows him to breathe, eat crackers and drink through a straw, but has too fine a mesh for Mr Yücel to lift a cigarette to his lips.




He locks the cage and gives the keys to his wife and daughter each time he leaves the house.

Mr Yücel has not smoked in the two days he’s been wearing the helmet – a first for someone who has gone through two packets a day since he was a teenager.

He has tried to give up several times in the past without success.

He said the wire cage was inspired by the safety helmets worn by motorcyclists.

After the initial shock, his family is now supporting his endeavour.