FOUR out of five residents in the North-west support legislation to ban smoking in public places, according to a survey.

The Big Smoke Debate, carried out by academics at Liverpool John Moores University and published by the North West Public Health Group, questioned 14,222 people including smokers and ex-smokers.

The results show that 78 per cent of those questioned support a ban on smoking in restaurants and 57 per cent want smoke-free bars and pubs.