Smoke rebel Hogan is out of prison

Smoke ban rebel Nick Hogan has been released from prison after just 12 days following an online campaign.

More than £9,000 was raised to secure Hogan's release just 12 days after he began a six-month sentence at Forest Bank prison in Salford, Manchester.

Simon Clark of smokers' lobby group Forest traveled to Forest Bank prison in Manchester today to pay for Hogan's freedom.

"We don't condone people breaking the law but we do condemn the draconian nature of the anti-smoking legislation that has resulted in a previously law-abiding man losing his business and going to jail," he said.

"It's a scandal that landlords are not allowed to offer customers the choice of separate smoking rooms, as is the case throughout most of Europe, without the threat of imprisonment hanging over them."

Hogan was jailed after failing to pay fines and costs of more than £10,000 for allowing people to smoke on his pub premises.

Renowned blogger Anna Raccoon started the campaign. Popular political blogger Guido Fawkes and a Justice for Nick Hogan Facebook group that attracted more than 1,000 supporters were also behind the campaign.