A MAN deliberately defied the smoking ban by lighting up in his local pub.

John Murphy, from Bacup, even notified Rossendale Council officers about his intention to spark up in The Swan Hotel on Saturday, but the authority appears to have turned a blind eye.

Mr Murphy lit a cigarette in the Market Street pub on Saturday evening, and smoked it on the premises in protest against the ban, which came into force on July 1.

But despite informing councillors of his plan, nobody turned up at the pub to give him a fine.

Mr Murphy and other regulars at The Swan are campaigning for the new law to be changed so that certain premises can be smoking venues.

A petition in support of the campaign was recently handed into Rossendale MP Janet Anderson, who will take it to Parliament.

Mr Murphy added: "In my mind it shouldn't fall down to the landlord to have to enforce the ban, why should they have to take that responsibility? The council should enforce their own law."

Rossendale council said that they "can and will take action against anyone breaking the law."

They added that "enforcement action would take place at a time of their choosing."