THE world's only charity devoted solely to fighting lung cancer has hit out over smoking in the workplace.

The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation aims to protect workers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.

The foundation thinks England is already behind the times, because Scotland has proposed a ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces, to become effective next year.

And it has expressed its disappointment at Scottish-born Health Secretary Dr John Reid for failing to offer the same protection to workers in this country.

Councils in London and Liverpool are already stepping towards the move. They are planning protection against second-hand smoke and it is hoped the idea could spread to all the country.

Mike Unger, the foundation's chief executive, said: "It is not about the right to smoke. No one should be exposed to harmful substances."

Second-hand smoke kills about 1,000 people every year in the UK.

Pub chain JD Wetherspoon caught on to the idea and is banning smoking in its 650 pubs by May 2006.

JD Wetherspoon has two pubs in Huddersfield town centre, the Cherry Tree on John William Street and Lloyds No 1 bar at Kingsgate.

Mr Unger said: "We would encourage the entire hospitality industry to follow Wetherspoon's lead.

"The company is acting as a responsible employer, protecting workers from the effects of passive smoking while also responding to the wishes of the majority of customers."

The foundation is named after the Scholes-born entertainer who died aged 62 from cancer caused by passive smoking.

He was a lifelong non-smoker, but had often played the trumpet in smoky clubs.

Earlier this month the foundation slammed the Government for failing to pay for research into the deadly disease.

The criticism came after it emerged that just 3% of the cash given by the Government to pay for cancer research was being spent on lung cancer.