Welcome to Smoke-on-Trent

Smokers are lighting up in Stoke-on-Trent despite the ban because of a bureaucratic blunder.

Officials are powerless to stop smokers, who are now flocking to the city's 400 pubs and bars, after council workers failed to get enforcement powers in time for the July 1 ban.

The council, branded one of the worst in the country by the Audit Commission, will not be able to enforce the ban until councillors formally approve it at a meeting on August 2.

Dax Robateau, owner of the Smithfield pub, said he spent £21,000 on outside shelters for smokers. Now posters in his bar declare "Welcome to Smoke-on-Trent".

He said: "We were all ready for the ban on July 1. It seems the only people who weren't ready were the council. I'm going to allow customers to carry on smoking until August."