SOUTH-West MEP Sir Graham Watson is backing calls from constituents to stamp out attempts to restrict the availability and strength of e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes provide users with a nicotine boost similar to conventional cigarettes, but contain none of the ingredients connected to smoking related disease such as tar or tobacco.

Last year, over 700,000 people took to lighting up an electronic fag. This year that figure is set to top one million.

Cancer Research UK believes that up to 60,000 lives could be saved in ten years from lung and throat cancer if smokers switch to clean nicotine alternatives.

For the full report, and a round up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the 'Post'.