SMOKERS desperate to kick the habit can receive help from experts at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

A "kick smoking" service will offer group or individual support for outpatients and visitors. Those being treated on wards will also be offered nicotine patches.

People can refer themselves to the service, or be referred to it by health professionals. At a meeting of Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust, director of nursing Sue Reed said plans were in place to reduce smoking in the Royal Bolton Hospital.

As well as providing support for people who wish to stop, she said the Trust would provide smoke free patient and public areas, and reduce the risk of passive smoking by containing it in designated areas.

There will be no smoking in any public or patient areas, staff may not light up when on duty, and visitors will be asked not to smoke in the corridors, reception areas or entrances to the buildings.

Mrs Reed said: "Everybody has the right to clean air and we are trying to make people choose a more sensible place to smoke."

In exceptional circumstances the Trust will allow distressed relatives to smoke in a designated ward.

Mrs Reed said: "Unfortunately we can anticipate relatives will be distressed and this needs a certain amount of planning. The ward sister can identify a designated area, not to be used every day but just in exceptional circumstances."