PROPOSALS to ban smoking in Bury's pubs, restaurants and workplaces will considered at during a meeting on Wednesday night.

Bury Council's ruling executive will debate the policy, which could lead to smoking being outlawed in public places in the town.

Government ministers are publishing a White Paper next month which will consider either enforcing a national ban or allowing local councils to impose one themselves.

And Bury is keen to take a lead - it has already banned smoking in local authority buildings, and is persuading schools to follow suit.

Dr Peter Elton, Bury's director of public health, said a similar ban in Dublin led to 50,000 people quiting smoking, with cigarette sales down by 7.5 per cent.

Dr Elton says that 1,000 residents in the borough die from smoking-related illnesses every three years.

The Bolton Evening News wants a similar ban for Bolton and is running a "Stub It Out" campaign.