"Put it out! Right out!" That's the message from Hampshire Fire and Rescue, who have been participating in a campaign warning people of the dangers of starting fires by cigarettes.

The service said the national "Smoking Materials" campaign, launched at the beginning of March, which urges smokers to take particular care, has been well received.

"The campaign has been very successful across Hampshire and we calculate that we have spoken to over 1,300 people and distributed more than 57,000 items of fire safety literature from leaflets and posters to post cards and beer mats.

"With the extensive radio and television advertising as well, I believe that most smokers have now got the message," said Wayne Parsons, of the Community Fire Safety department.

Mr Parsons said it was remarkable how many families referred to a fire in a recent edition of the popular soap, Coronation Street, which was started with a cigarette and helped get their message across.

The county's firefighters have dealt with more than 1,000 emergency calls since the beginning of the year - 29 of those were started by cigarettes.

A spokesman said: "All of these were avoidable and while most resulted in fires confined to one room, some have more serious consequences.

"With the average cost to the household or their insurance company running into thousands of pounds for each fire, it demonstrates again the need for smokers to dispose of their cigarettes and other materials properly."

Part of the campaign literature, which emphasises that fires caused by cigarettes kill more people than any other, states that a cigarette burns at up to 700 degrees centigrade so you really need to make sure it's properly extinguished.

It suggests a few key rules to bear in mind.

* Never smoke in bed.

* Always use a proper ashtray and make sure it can't be knocked over.

* Never leave a lit cigarette around.

* Take special care when you're tired or when you've been drinking.

* Keep matches and lighters away from children.