ANOTHER North-East shopping centre will ban smoking from tomorrow as part of a big push to improve public health.

The Galleries shopping centre, in Washington, Wearside, is the latest mall to exclude smokers.

It will bring The Galleries in line with the Bridges shopping centre, in Sunderland, and the Cornmill and Queen Street shopping centres, in Darlington.

The next major shopping centre due to go smoke-free will be the MetroCentre, in Gateshead, in January.

Smoking bans could become much more widespread throughout the North-East in the near future, if plans to set up a European Union-funded office for tobacco control in the region are successful.

This could lead to California-style restrictions on smoking in pubs, clubs and restaurants.

Dr Eugene Milne, deputy medical director of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority, said action was needed because of the high rates of smoking.

About 30 per cent of adults in the North-East smoke, compared with the national average of 26 per cent.

Death rates from lung cancer are 36 per cent higher than the national average for men and 66 per cent higher for women.

Dr Milne said smoking rates had halved in California since a law banning it in public places was passed in 1988.

Even if the European Union does not fund the scheme, health officials in the region are determined to step up measures to discourage smoking.

Les Pickering, manager of the Galleries centre, said 95 per cent of customers said they would prefer to shop in a smoke-free environment.

"However, we have done all we can to ensure smokers continue to feel welcome through the provision of smoking shelters just outside the centre.

"Some of the cafes will also still be accommodating smokers in designated areas," he said.