CAMPAIGNERS in the region are urging the Government to back proposals to protect North-East children from tobacco marketing in the Queen's Speech next week.

Last year more than 13,500 people and 129 organisations in the North- East - including every local council - came out in support of standardised packs during the Department of Health consultation.

Despite reductions in smoking, the North-East still has higher than average rates of young people smoking and taking up the addiction, with 9,000 children starting each year.

The average age that North-East smokers start is just 15, some starting as young as nine-years-old.

Standardised packs were introduced in Australia in December. Evidence shows they would make tobacco packs less attractive and end the deception that some cigarettes are less harmful than others.

Ailsa Rutter, director of Fresh, the North-East tobacco control agency, said: "We hope very much the Government will not cave in to tobacco industry lobbying and will instead put our children first. Smoking is still our biggest killer and starting as a child raises the risks of diseases like lung cancer in later life.

"Last year there was massive public support to end tobacco promotion. All our councils are behind it and thousands of people - including many smokers themselves - expressed their support to do more to protect young people from starting to smoke."

The latest opinion poll shows standardised packaging is supported by 63 per cent of adults, with three per cent strongly opposing.

An Imperial Tobacco spokesman described plain packaging as "a disproportionate step" that would create additional burdens for traders.

The tobacco industry has also voiced concerns that plain packaging would make it easier to sell counterfeit cigarettes.

The Government's legislative programme will be outlined in the Queen's Speech on May 8.