TWO women who refuse to give up smoking have upset their neighbours in

a sheltered housing complex.

Tenants at Pleyfauld House in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, voted in

favour of a ban on smoking in their communal lounge. Mrs Alexandra

Milton, 64, and Mrs Margaret Burr, 58, agreed not to smoke at social

events but refused to quit.

They insist the no-smoking rule is an infringement of their civil

liberties. ''We are coming to the end of our time and it is awful that

we can't have a little puff,'' said Mrs Milton. ''No other tenant is

going to say to us what we should or shouldn't do.''

Gordon District Council, which runs the complex, is to debate the

issue on Tuesday. Councillors have the ultimate sanction of evicting the

women, if they refuse to comply with the vote.

Mrs Milton said: ''We stopped smoking in the lounge, except when we

have a game of cards. But when each of us hears someone coming then the

fags go out, so it isn't harming anyone.

''The vote itself was unfair because there were people who took part

who have never used the lounge. When we came here two years ago, there

was nothing in the rules that said we should not smoke.''

District housing director Peter Donaldson said: ''It has put us in a

very difficult situation. The ultimate sanction a council has when

people are in breach of their tenancy conditions is eviction.

''It is not something we would like to have to do in this case. I

can't see us evicting someone for having the odd fag but, at the end of

the day, the decision rests with the councillors.''