Fishergate centre bosses who banned smoking in the open-air car park say people caught lighting up will be banned from shopping there for six months and fined £50.

A string of readers – many non-smokers – have contacted the Lancashire Evening Post to say the measures were too heavy-handed and would discourage them from visiting the centre.

A poll on the LEP website also showed 68% of people thought an outdoor ban was a step too far.

Smoking has been illegal in public buildings and substantially-enclosed spaces like covered bus shelters since July 1.

The laws do not apply to open-air parking but Fishergate managers say they are entitled to enforce their own rules as it is a private car park.

Andrew McCann from Penwortham said the car park ban was political correctness gone mad.

He said: "If Fishergate are so concerned about health risks from carcinogenic fumes them maybe they should consider banning diesel cars from the car park.

"I for one will no longer take the risk of becoming a criminal and will be happy to take my spending power elsewhere."

Brian Finch of Chorley branded the ban absurd.

He said: "It's a car park full of motor vehicles emitting exhaust fumes and they say smoking a cigarette is going to poison passers-by.

"It's lunatics running the asylum."

Internet user Kubis of Preston left a message on the LEP website calling on customers to boycott the centre if they were unhappy with the car park rules.

He wrote: "The only way to deal with these kinds of Big Brother tactics is to take your loyalties elsewhere.

"It's no good being bullied by rules like this and yet still giving them your custom."

Nicholas Watson of the Preston Chamber of Trade said: "We could take a view if (the ban) was on the street but if private land-owners wish to adopt a policy there's nothing we can do."

A spokesman for Fishergate said the exclusion orders was only to be used as a "last resort" and that no one was banned so far.

They said the policy was aimed at making the centre as pleasant as possible for all shoppers.

They added: "The Fishergate shopping centre itself has been no smoking for about 10 years. We extended this to the car park to discourage people from congregating at centre entrances."