A Kent licensee has been fined £180 following a raid by council officers and police at his pub.

Mark Hughes, landlord of the Blacksmiths Arms in Sheerness, was seconds away from putting out a cigarette he was smoking when officers arrived and has been told he must pay £30 for the offence – although Swale Borough Council has warned him he may still face court action.

He has also been fined another £150 for not displaying no smoking signs on the front and back doors of the building in Clyde Street.

Mr Hughes said: "This is despite having three other no smoking signs in the front window and inside the bar.

"I did have a sign in the window of the front door but this got damaged a few weeks back and I forgot to replace it when the window was repaired.

“I just can’t believe this is happening. The whole situation is bizarre. I keep thinking I’m in a bad dream and if I pinch myself, I’ll wake up and everything will be all right.

“Pubs all over are struggling because of the anti-smoking legislation at the moment despite what the Government and some sectors of the media might be saying.”