WITH the first fogs of winter rolling in Western Cheshire Primary Care Trust has issued advice to help patients with COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The name covers a collection of lung diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease, all of which can occur together.

COPD is one of the most common respiratory diseases in the UK, causing 30,000 deaths a year.

It occurs as a result of damage to the lungs, usually through smoking. The main symptoms are coughing up mucus and breathlessness.

These breathing problems gradually get worse, resulting in decreased quality of life and even heart failure.

Health chiefs say if you can avoid going out in the fog, do so.

If you have to go out, there are plenty of simple precautions:

* Stop smoking .

* Shut your bedroom window at night.

* Don't run out of your medication - make sure you always have enough to last two weeks.

* Eat well - three small meals and three snacks a day and have at least one hot meal per day. Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

* Keep warm and active but try to avoid coming into contact with people who have a cold or other infections.

* Wrap up to keep warm when going outside - wear a coat, hat and scarf and pull your scarf over your mouth to protect you from cold air

* If it is below four degrees centigrade, reduce the number of times you go outside

*Contact your doctor or nurse if your symptoms become worse.