SMOKING could be banned in play areas.

City of York Council wants to turn playgrounds into smokefree zones under plans to improve people's health and stop children from picking up the habit when they grow up.

The play parks would be voluntary smoke free areas and the council will launch a consultation on the plans before taking action. Vaping could be included in the ban - depending on what people say in response to a survey.

Barnsley, Norwich and Wakefield have already turned their children's play parks into smokefree areas.

The council wants to reduce the number of people who smoke in York by more than three quarters by 2025. Currently 11.9 per cent of the city's population smoke - more than 20,000 residents - and the council aims to reduce the rate to 5 per cent.

Smoking led to 700 deaths in the city between 2016 and 2018 - and 1,690 hospital admissions in 2018 to 2019, a council report said.

If the plans go ahead, signs to discourage smoking would be installed at playgrounds from April 2021 - although the ban would not be enforced.

The council manages more than 90 play parks in the city.