SMOKING will be banned from all council-owned leisure venues across Darlington from next week.

The borough council is introducing the ban from Monday, ahead of Government plans to make all public places smoke-free by the end of 2007.

The new ban will forbid smoking in the Civic Theatre, the Arts Centre, the Dolphin Centre, Eastbourne Leisure Centre and Stressholme Golf Club. It is banned in most council buildings but will extend to cover their bars.

Officials said the ban aimed to protect the health of staff and the public. Lee Vasey, cabinet member for leisure, said: "Exposure to second-hand smoke represents a life-threatening risk and employees and customers deserve to be protected.

"It is important that people working in our leisure venues and those visiting them have a clean environment in which to enjoy themselves."

Health officials called on other premises to follow the council's lead. Darlington Primary Care Trust's stop smoking specialist, Darcy Brown, said: "Second-hand smoke kills three times more workers than industrial accidents and more hospitality workers die from tobacco smoke inhalation than die in the line of duty in the police or fire brigade."