AN alliance set up to protect employees from breathing in other people's smoke has reached a major milestone.

Smoke-Free North Durham, a partnership of three councils and two primary care trusts, is celebrating its success at protecting 1,530 employees and other members of the public against second-smoke.

The alliance has done this by persuading a cross-section of local businesses and organisations to go smoke-free in the workplace.

To mark the occasion, representatives of the three councils - Durham, Derwentside and Chester-le-Street - and two primary care trusts - Derwentside and Durham and Chester-le-Street - met up at the point where the three districts meet.

The scale of the success would not have happened without Mark den Hollander, a specialist project worker who was hired in February to work with North Durham businesses.

After only four months, Mr den Hollander has signed up 55 organisations.

Mr den Hollander was also celebrating a personal success yesterday, as it is now seven months since he gave up smoking.

Most of the organisations involved in the partnership have applied for the Gold Award of the National Clean Air awards - showing that the highest level of protection is being given to employees.

A total of 111 Clean Air awards have been presented across the North-East to date and 50 per cent of these are in North Durham.

The Smoke-Free North Durham Partnership first met in autumn last year and agreed to pool their resources and experience.

Members of the group include councillors, environmental health officers, health promotion staff and doctors.

Dr Maggie Ireland, chairwoman of Smoke-Free Derwentside, said "We have known for many years that breathing tobacco smoke can lead to ill health and death but now we also have high-quality medical and scientific evidence that shows that breathing other people's cigarette smoke significantly increases your risk of cancer, heart disease, lung disease and can even lead to death."