SMOKERS are being asked to stub it out when they visit a popular outdoor children’s play park.

Visitors to Riverside Park in Chester-le-Street, which attracts thousands of families each year, are being asked not to smoke in or around the children’s play area.

The park today (THURS) became the first of 178 council-owned play areas in County Durham to become a smoke-free zone.

Durham County Council is introducing a voluntary no-smoking code as part of its work to reduce the harm caused by tobacco.

Signs will be placed in and around each of the play areas asking adults to abide by the voluntary ban.

Almost 500 people took part in a public consultation on the initiative last year, with 81 per cent saying they strongly agreed with the idea of smoke-free play areas.

The authority claims that evidence suggests that reducing children’s exposure to smoking makes it less likely that they will take up the habit themselves.

Coun Lucy Hovvels, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for safer and healthier communities, said: “One of our key priorities is preventing children from becoming smokers and forming a habit that could ultimately kill them.

“Children are most at risk of becoming smokers if they grow up in communities where smoking is the norm.

“Making our play areas smoke-free is one way of reducing the opportunities for children to see adults smoking around them.

“Although the code is voluntary, the consultation showed significant support for a ban on smoking at outdoor play areas so we hope the public will support it and help to protect the health of our children.”

Smoke-free play areas are among a range of measures being promoted by the County Durham Tobacco Control Alliance in an effort to protect children from smoke-related harm.

The voluntary smoke-free code covers areas which are fenced off and which contain children’s play equipment. It does not cover general parks and open spaces.