Smoking ban leads to surge in texting

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A record number of text messages have been sent by smokers who want to pass the time over a cigarette while banished to outside venues.

In the two weeks after the ban on smoking in confined spaces came into force on 1 July, mobile phone company Orange said 7.5 million more texts than normal were sent across its network.

Experts have now dubbed the phenomenon 'smexting'.

Nick Bonney, director of Market Insight, said: "It is a halfway house for

ostracised smokers - they can enjoy a cigarette and stay in touch with their mates at the same time."

Mr Bonney also believed smokers trying to give up were turning to their phones as a distraction, saying: " Many people are texting friends for support."

Figures released today show that Britons sent 519.5 million text messages in the first two weeks of last month, compared with 512 million in the last two weeks of June.