THE widow of entertainer Roy Castle has criticised the smoking ban "fudge" proposed for England and Wales.

And she praised Scotland's wider-ranging ban, which will bar smoking in all enclosed public places from March 26.

Fiona Castle, whose Scholes-born husband died at the age of 62, was speaking at the launch of a TV commercial which will form part of a £750,000 advertising blitz ahead of the ban.

MPs and health campaigners in England are redoubling their efforts for a total ban, arguing that the Government's plans for a ban with exemptions does not go far enough.

Ms Castle's non-smoking husband, who died of lung cancer in 1994, blamed his illness on years of playing in smoky jazz clubs.

She said in Glasgow: "The Government have fudged the issue about making England a smoke-free place.

"I think you have got it right up here, and I'm just longing that England will see sense and understand the importance of making all public places smoke-free.

"To legislate on a partial ban is almost impossible - you can't enforce or police a partial ban.

"I think it's brilliant that Scotland has taken the lead on this."

The TV advertisement is intended to highlight the dangers of passive smoking.

It shows a young woman sitting between two friends in a smoke-filled bar, then later being diagnosed and treated for cancer, losing her hair in the process.

The Scottish Executive says environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is linked to 865 deaths a year in Scotland among lifelong non-smokers.

Scottish health minister Andy Kerr said: "The case for reducing exposure to second-hand smoke to improve health is indisputable.

"In Scotland, second-hand smoke is associated with up to 1,000 deaths a year among life-long non-smokers.

"Scotland will become smoke-free in enclosed public places from March next year.

"Our country's health and productivity will improve and the incidence of smoking-related disease will fall as a result."

The advert cost £413,000, and will be accompanied by a press and radio advertising campaign.

Leaflets are also to be sent to all 2.3 million households in Scotland ahead of the ban.