A new interactive map has shown the percentage of the population in south Essex who are smokers.

It comes as Cancer Research UK research found hundreds of thousands more young people are now smokers when compared to before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

There was a 25% increase in 18 to 34-year-olds who smoke, which translated into a rise of more than 652,000 young adults, the charity said.

Researchers, from University College London and the University of Sheffield, said there was an increased prevalence of high-risk drinking among all groups (40%), but the rise was greater among women (55%) and people from less advantaged backgrounds (64%).

On a more positive note, the researchers also found there were increases in the number of smokers quitting successfully.

There was a 99% rise in people across all groups successfully quitting during lockdown compared with pre-pandemic, they said.

The Smoking Map of Britain – which is broken up into parliamentary constituencies - shows Basildon and Billericay is in the UK’s top 10 per cent of areas which has the highest number of smokers.

Around 18.7 % of the population are smokers – the joint 34th highest in Britain.

At the other end of the table is Rochford and Southend East, which ranked 596th out of 632 of the places with the highest number of smokers.

Only 9.4 % of the population smoke, according to the map.

Here is how all parts of south Essex fare on the map:

Rochford and Southend East

Percentage of population that smoke – 9.4%

596th highest in the UK

Southend West

Percentage of population that smoke – 13.2%

402nd highest in the UK

Castle Point

Percentage of population that smokes – 11.3%

508th highest in the UK

Rayleigh and Wickford

Percentage of population that smokes – 12.1%

474th highest in the UK

Basildon and Billericay

Percentage of population that smokes – 18.7%

34th highest in the UK

Basildon and East Thurrock

Percentage of population that smokes – 18.1%

58th highest in the UK

Thurrock

Percentage of population that smokes – 17.5%

88th highest in the UK

Cancer Research UK says smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer, known to cause at least 15 different types of the disease.

Drinking just small amounts of alcohol increases the risk of seven different types of cancer, the charity added.