Allen Carr, who was considered as world’s best anti-smoking guru died of lung cancer yesterday. He was 72.

Carr helped convince millions of people to give up smoking. He claimed to have helped 10 million people to give up smoking, including leading figures such as the Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson, the actor Sir Anthony Hopkins and the footballer Gianluca Vialli.

Friends said it seemed probable that the years he spent curing tobacco addicts in smoke-filled sessions at his clinics must have contributed to him contracting the illness.

Carr himself considered the same reason to be the cause of him contracting lung cancer, which was diagnosed last year. But he said: “Even if that is the case, it’s a price worth paying. I am informed that I have cured at least 10million smokers.”

Carr used to smoke 100 cigarettes a day. He added “Since I smoked my final cigarette 23 years ago, I’ve been the happiest man in the world.”

Mr. Carr was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor in August and given nine months to live. Despite chemotherapy, his cancer spread rapidly.

He is believed to have died in his sleep at his home near Malaga, southern Spain, with his wife Joyce at his side. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, four children, two stepchildren, 11 grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

Mr. Carr built an empire of 70 clinics in 30 countries, which treated a total of 45,000 people last year.

John Dicey, worldwide director of Allen Carr’s Easyway, said: “As former smokers, most people involved with our organization owe Allen their lives.

“The fact that a former 100-a-day smoker, having quit in his middle age, lived to the ripe old age of 72 is a tremendous message to all smokers.”