The smoking ban is believed to have saved the NHS in Sussex more than £238,000 so far.

Figures released by primary care trusts across the county have revealed that thousands of pounds have been saved because fewer patients are being admitted to hospital with heart problems.

A national report published by the association of public health observatories examined admissions to hospitals for people with heart attacks during the year of the smoking ban compared to the year before.

It calculated that NHS Brighton and Hove saved £35,000, West Sussex £147,000, East Sussex Downs and Weald £64,000 and Hastings and Rother £39,000.

Health bosses believe the ban, which came into force in the summer of 2007, may have helped save hundreds of lives and prevented thousands of people spending days in hospital needing emergency treatment.

There are believed to be between 250,000 and 300,000 smokers across Sussex and health bosses have pledged to halve the number by 2020.

About one in five people are continuing to smoke, slightly lower than the England average.