From the "Could It Happen Here"? Department: Britain's biggest trade union is taking legal action against a local authority in London over an aggressive new anti-smoking policy that it introduced this week.

Under the policy, employees of Tower Hamlets can take only two smoking breaks a day - of a maximum of 15 minutes duration. This translates into two-and-a-half hours a week, but this time will have to be made up by the employee.

The trade union involved - Unison - said the measures, introduced by the Labour-controlled council, represented a breach of negotiated terms.