FEWER primary schoolchildren in York could have tried smoking than health professionals believe, say head teachers.

According to a national survey, nearly a third of primary school children have tried smoking; many influenced by parents and siblings.

But Anna Cornhill, headteacher of Scarcroft Primary School, said it did not apply to York.

"I can only point my finger at one or two year six students who I think smoke," she said.

"Most children are quite horrified by the idea of smoking and by the time we have a look at smoking in years five and six and show them an experiment with a lemonade bottle and cotton wool and say this is the affect smoking has on your lungs, they ask for the instructions of how to do the experiment at home so they can show family members who smoke and persuade them to stop.

"In some ways we have to be careful when we're doing that because we don't want to create frictions in a family, but we want to educate them enough so they don't start smoking themselves."

She said in her own experience it was hard to tell how children were influenced by smoking family members.

Ken Taylor, head teacher of Tang Hall Primary School, said he could not think of any pupils who may have tried smoking.

"They certainly don't go behind the bike sheds to do it," he said. "I think it's something that affects the secondary schools a lot more."

The survey, which tracked a group of 250 children from the age of four to 11 through six primary schools in Liverpool, suggested children who experimented with smoking were more likely to have known a relative who has suffered from a smoking-related illness.

Mr Taylor said he was uncertain how far that applied to York.

"I think you have to look at the sample and see if that is representative of York and the rest of the country.

"In my experience I would probably say that it is not."

Rachel Johns, director of public health for Selby and York Primary Care Trust, said: "What the survey highlights is that it's not just peer pressure that may affect people deciding to try smoking, and smoking at home may have other harmful effects on your children, besides breathing in second-hand smoke."

Advice to parents who smoke

Research has shown children exposed to second-hand smoke are twice as likely to have asthma attacks and chest infections.

They also have:

Higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS, formally known as cot death) than children of non-smokers

More chance of glue ear, which can lead to partial deafness

Increased risk of heart disease and lung cancer as adults.

The best way to protect your children from second hand smoke is to give up smoking.

If you do not give up smoking, try to:

Help protect children by keeping their playing, sleeping and eating areas totally smoke free

Smoke outside whenever possible

When out and about with children, find non-smoking areas.

To make your home smoke-free, Selby and York PCT and Sure Start in Selby and York have launched the smoke-free homes and zones initiative.

Parents can declare their homes as smoke-free places, based on all smokers in the house making a promise to keep all or part of the house smoke free.

Promises are spilt into gold, silver or bronze.

For help, support or information about the promise scheme, phone North Yorkshire Stop Smoking Service on 01904 663310.

Updated: 10:13 Saturday, July 16, 2005