REBEL landlord Nick Hogan has been banned from having ashtrays in his town centre pubs.

A High Court ruling has forbidden the licensee of The Swan and adjacent Barristers from having anything in his pubs which could "facilitate" smoking.

Mr Hogan, and his staff, have also been banned from serving anyone who is smoking. If he breaches the orders, he could be forced out of the pubs and be in contempt of court.

Mr Hogan said: "I have always said that if an order is made by a judge I won't commit contempt of court and I respect this judgement and the judge's wishes, but our fight goes on within the court system.

"I have removed the ashtrays and we aren't serving anyone who is smoking."

Mr Hogan had been locked out of the pubs on September 21 after the owner of the buildings, Paul Kiely, called in the bailiffs and changed the locks.

Mr Kiely claimed the terms of the lease had been breached because Mr Hogan had broken the law by allowing people to smoke on the premises.

He also met Bolton's licensing chiefs and made his son, Ryan, the new licensee.

However, the High Court in Manchester ruled Mr Hogan should be allowed back into the pubs and the council subsequently reinstated his licence.

The ban on Mr Hogan's use of ashtrays or serving people who are smoking was imposed when the case went again before the High Court.

The ruling states he must not "do anything to facilitate the use of the premises for smoking including, for the avoidance of doubt, placing on the premises any ashtray or other container for the collection of ash."

The court added that he must not advise persons that if they choose to smoke on the premises they are free to do so.

Mr Hogan is currently awaiting trial after pleading not guilty to five counts of failing to prevent people from smoking and four of obstructing council officers.