THOUSANDS of smokers will have chosen yesterday - National No Smoking Day - to kick the habit.

And a new online community wants to help them stay off the ciggies.

Quit Smoking UK is an online home for all those trying to quit - or those who have successfully done so.

It describes itself as "a cross between Claire Rayner and Graham Norton", giving expert advice and support - but also a bit of a laugh.

The site answers questions like "Will smoking help me look like Kate Moss?" and offers games to occupy the fingers of anyone tempted to reach for a fag.

There is no shortage of sensible anti-smoking advice, but it is presented in a friendly, down to earth manner.

The site encourages quitters to "go public" by posting the date of their last cigarette online and getting - and giving - support in chatrooms and discussion groups.

Users are also invited to become chat hosts or write articles for publication on the site.

If you are trying to give up, it might just be worth making Quit Smoking UK your home page for a few weeks to get you through the worst.

http://www.quitsmokinguk.com

MAGIC maestro Paul Daniels has conjured up his own website.

The site gives details of Paul's career, and includes pages on his wife, Debbie McGee, and son, Martin Daniels.

There is also a not-very-enlightening page entitled "Everything you wanted to know about Paul Daniels but were afraid to ask". It reveals that Paul likes his wife and great performers, but isn't so keen on war, violence and murder. Fascinating stuff.

You'll like it, but not a lot!

http://www.p

auldaniels.co.uk/

IF you're a fan of Trigger Happy TV who's been left sobbing at the end of the series, you can at least keep up to date with the filming of the new one by visiting the official website every now and then.

It has a web cam trained on the production office.

http://www.triggerhappytv.co

Take time to smell the roses

GREEN-FINGERED tourists can plan a route around Europe or the USA calling at some of the world's finest gardens using the Garden Visit website. The site lists details of hundreds of beautiful gardens which are open to the public, as well as articles on the development of gardens through history and profiles of important gardeners from days gone by. This comprehensive site is a useful resource for anyone seeking inspiration for their own garden, or simply planning a day out.

http://www.gardenvisit.com

Is QWERTY too quirky? IF you are reading this on the internet, take a look down at your keyboard.

The order of letters will probably be very familiar - even to two-finger typists - but that doesn't necessarily mean it is the best.

There are many people out there who think it is time for a change form the standard QWERTY system.

The system was originally designed to stop manual typewriters jamming, but with new technology that is no longer relevant. There are claims that typing speeds could be drastically increased if a different system was used. You can find out about some of the alternatives available at the Friends Don't Let Friends Type QWERTY website, and print off a bumper sticker to spread the word further. http://www.catskill.netev

olution/typing/default.htm

THE Fish4 services, backed by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, attracted a record number of users in February.

HHalf a million people logged on to search for a new home, car or job, or the address of a local business. Fish4 is easy to use, whatever you are looking for. Access it through our own website, This is Lancashire.

http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk

SEEN something interesting on the web? Send an e-mail to vcowan@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk

Check out our website - http.//www.thisislancashire.co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.