BLACKBURN with Darwen council leader Kate Hollern, left, has declined to make a pledge to give up smoking next month.

She was tackled on the issue by Sudell Liberal Democrat Paul Browne on her tobacco habit at the borough’s full council forum meeting last week. He asked her: “In two weeks it is October, the month for giving up smoking.

“Will you be joining the ‘Stoptober’ initiative by stopping smoking?”

Coun Hollern replied: “I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”