I felt it was important to clarify the facts regarding the free umbrellas for use by smokers as detailed in last week's Bury Times.

Rather than keeping smokers dry or to be used as an alternative to a smoking shelter, the main purpose of these umbrellas is to offer access to the NHS Quitline number to smokers, within a targeted approach.

As the PCT and the local authority have a duty to promote the overall wellbeing of the population, it was decided and agreed by the Smokefree Bury Group, which includes the local authority and the PCT, that we should offer umbrellas which advertise the local stop smoking service to businesses such as pubs and restaurants for smokers to use when they have to step outside so they don't smoke inside the premises.

The funding for these umbrellas comes from the Greater Manchester Smoking Campaign to implement the ban on smoking in public places which came in on July 1. The cost was £4,000 for 1,000 umbrellas and if only a handful of people give up smoking as a result of contacting the stop smoking service, the health service will save money with this initiative and people will benefit from health gains.

Although this approach may seem off the wall', it reflects a similar approach used in Scotland following their ban, where it was shown that targeting smokers by this direct route bore fruit in encouraging quitting.

DR PETER ELTON Director of Public Health