By Nick Garbutt

Liverpool’s Coroner Roy Barter is soon to be brainwashed.

Leading hypnotherapist Mike Whitenburgh is to cast a spell on him…. In a last gasp attempt to help him quit smoking.

Mr Barker has been rated rank outsider by racing tipster Mike Torpey to complete the Echo Challenge.

And the Coroner agrees that this is the toughest case he has ever had to crack.

But Mr Whitenburgh remains supremely confident that Mr Barker`s  smoking days will soon be over.

He said “If he gets up off my couch and lights up  he will be a very brave man.

“There is no withdrawal symptoms and he should have no problems whatsoever.”

Mr Whitenburgh plans to get inside the Coroner’s subconscious mind – and make him give up forever.

He said: “There is nothing particularly mysterious about hypnosis. Everybody is in that state of mind at least twice a day. It is that feeling you get when you not quite asleep and still not awake.

“In that very deep state of relaxation it is possible to get through to your subconscious mind.

“When I  hypnotise Mr Barter I will be journeying into his mind leaving behind messages that will put him off smoking. He will find it a  very relaxing and pleasurable experience.

Mr Whitenburgh operates from his clinic on Rodney Street. Over the past few months he has helped hundreds of desperate Merseysiders  to give up smoking.

Already he is fully booked on New Years Eve with smokers who have taken up the Echo Challenge.

But he is keeping December 30  free to treat Echo readers who want to make 1987 a fag free year.

Bookings can be made by ringing 630 1120.