HOW times change. Worcestershire prepares to go smoke-free on Sunday, yet last century its favourite son was advertising tobacco.

Sir Edward Elgar may have been a keen walker and cyclist but he also liked to relax with a pipe, cigar or cigarette.

The famous composer is said to have produced one of his finest pieces - the Enigma Variations - in 1898 after lighting a cigar and improvising.

Cathy Sloan, director of the Elgar Birthplace Museum in Lower Broadheath, near Worcester, said: "I don't know what Elgar would have made of the forthcoming ban.

"From what we know about him, he didn't like being told what to do, but if he was alive today he would have been all too aware of the detrimental affect that smoking has on your health.

"However, smoking was looked on very differently in Elgar's day and he endorsed Carlyle tobacco.

"We do know that one day in 1898, Elgar came home from a long day's teaching and after supper, sat down at the piano, lit a cigar and started improvising. What emerged was one of his greatest works - the Enigma variations."

Another of Elgar's works was more directly influenced by smoking.

He was staying with wealthy friends the Speyers at their mansion in Hertfordshire. His hosts were non-smokers and the order went out: "Kindly, kindly, kindly do not smoke in the hall or the staircase."

Elgar was inspired by rhythm of the words and set them to music in what he jokingly called his Smoking Cantata. Although the piece was only 45 seconds long, he took great care over the composition and wrote it for a very large orchestra.

Later in life, Elgar enjoyed going back to the cottage where he was born.

However, if he were to visit today he would have to refrain from smoking, because his cottage is now part of the Elgar Birthplace Museum - a public building where smoking will be illegal from Sunday.

The museum is off the A44 Worcester/Leominster Road in Lower Broadheath.