A research team at the University of Exeter is looking into whether physical activity can reduce the number of people smoking.

In the UK, two out of three smokers want to quit, but more than three quarters (78 per cent) light up again after 12 months without tobacco.

The investigation wants to focus on "hard-to-reach" smokers to see if taking up physical exercise can help them cut the number of cigarettes they smoke – making it easier for them to then quit permanently.

Professor Adrian Taylor, from the university's School of Sport and Health Sciences, said: "Smoking reduction strategies, particularly using nicotine replacement therapy, have been shown to increase the number of people trying to quit. Adding physical activity to usual care has been shown to increase abstinence rates among smokers making an abrupt quit attempt."

Instead of lighting up after a meal, he hopes that a short walk will encourage people away from smoking, helping relieve stress and aid concentration.

Smokers who have not used the NHS Stop Smoking Services (SSS) and who want to quit will be the subjects of the research and will be trying out a number of measures.

The study, funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) will take 120 smokers from two areas in Plymouth where nearly half (45 per cent) of adults smoke, more than twice the national average.

The group of volunteers will be split into two separate groups, with one using brief advice, which is given to most patients attempting to quit, the other will enter upon a course of physical activity, which will be individually tailored to each patient, depending on their needs.

In addition, each volunteer will be offered additional support through the local NHS Stop Smoking Service for up to six weeks, if and when they decide to quit.

A spokesman for the NIHR HTA programme said: "With the growing awareness of the health risks and inequalities associated with smoking it is vital that research is conducted into new ways of helping people to give up, especially as 74 per cent of smokers say they want to quit, but only a tiny proportion of these people make use of the free service provided by the NHS."

The results are due to be published in 2013.