Council bosses have defended a decision to investigate an "alleged odour nuisance" caused by a couple smoking in their own home.
Jeanette and Gavin Gordon-Crawley were stunned when they were told officials were to probe their smoking habits following a complaint from a neighbour.
The couple, from Caernarfon, North Wales, received a letter from Gwynedd County Council saying a neighbour had complained about cigarette smoke "permeating into her living room".
Mr Gordon-Crawley, 51, who smokes 20 cigarettes a day, said: "I thought it must be a joke.
"I understand smoking bans in certain places but not in my own home."
Speaking from their semi-detached home, Mrs Gordon-Crawley, 54, added: "It is fine for people to complain if you smoke near them in a public place but we have the right to smoke in our own home if we want to."
A spokeswoman for Gwynedd County Council said: "What people do within their own homes is of no concern to us, as long as they do not affect other people.
"In this instance we have received a complaint stating that smoking in a house in the Caernarfon area is causing a nuisance to the neighbours and as a local authority we have a statutory responsibility to investigate this complaint.
"The person complaining alleges that smoke from a neighbouring property is able to enter their property.
"Officers from the Council's Public Protection Service are investigating."
Read More
MORE ABOUT