A call’s been made for 'common sense to reign' when the Public Smoking ban comes into force in the Island on March 30th.

Local authorities were among those recently asked to take part in a consultation process, determining exactly where and when smokers can and cannot light up within the surrounding areas of all government buildings and properties.

However, assessing some of the points in the document, Ramsey Commissioners’ chairman Mary Bruce said it was difficult to see how it could always be policed, and described some of the proposals as ‘big brother’.

And her colleague, Jan Fergusson, warned if extra cigarette butts ended up in the street, it could mean more money would have to be spent on street cleaning.